Diabetes and sleep apnea study in China

Diabetes and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (DOSA) study The George Institute for Global Health, China launched the Diabetes and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (DOSA) study in Beijing last week to investigate how common obstructive sleep apnea is among hospitalized type 2 diabetes patients and the complications they suffer from.

More than 800 patients across six regions of China are expected to participate in the study that will help answer the question of whether treatment for obstructive sleep apnea should become routine treatment in diabetes care.

“We already know that sleep apnea is more common in diabetics than non-diabetics in other countries, but what we don’t know is how common it is among diabetic patients in China. Once we know how big the problem is, we can begin to come up with strategies to address the problem and provide a higher standard of care,” said Professor Puhong Zhang, Director of the Diabetes Research program at The George Institute, China.

Although a relatively small study, DOSA is expected to not only illustrate the magnitude of the condition in patients suffering from diabetes, but to also generate further research opportunities into both conditions.

“Obstructive sleep apnea has been shown to increase the risk for other serious health conditions such as coronary heart disease and stroke, and patients with diabetes are already at an increased risk for these conditions. It’s critical that we understand the relationship between sleep apnea and diabetes in China sooner rather than later,” added Professor Zhang.

The study will involve 12 hospitals across six regions in China, and is expected to finish in early 2013.