Increased risk of severe COVID-19
A
2021 study looked at participants with COVID-19, and 8.5% had OSA. Of those with sleep apnea,
20.9% were hospitalized — a higher hospitalization rate than that of the general population.
Even when researchers controlled for health risk factors associated with OSA, sleep apnea remained an independent risk factor for hospitalization. People with OSA were at a higher risk of being hospitalized for COVID-19 regardless of their age, sex, BMI, or pre-existing conditions.