Morbidity prior to a diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing: a controlled national study

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) causes burden to the sufferer, the healthcare system, and society. Most studies have focused on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) after a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS); however, the overall morbidity prior to an SDB diagnosis has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to identify morbidity prior to a SDB diagnosis to identify patients at risk for having/developing SDB.