Summary

Evidence supports an interaction between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). OSA is highly prevalent in persons with T2DM, with some estimates of the prevalence of moderate to severe OSA (defined as an apnea-hypopnia index =5) as high as 61% [Einhorn D et al. Endocr Pract 2007], but the direction of causality is not yet clear. This article provides an overview of the relationship between OSA and T2DM.