Global prevalence of metabolic syndrome in adults with obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
SleepSep 9, 2026
Suman Pant, Ioannis Kyrou, Alexander Dallaway et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the global prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), analyzing data from 102 studies involving 34,013 adults across 28 countries. The study found a combined MetS prevalence of 55.4% (95% CI: 51.0%, 59.8%), highlighting significant variability in estimates based on geographic region and other factors.
Key findings
- The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome in adults with OSA was 55.4% (95% CI: 51.0%, 59.8%).
- Considerable heterogeneity was observed among studies, with I2 = 97.8%.
- Meta-regression indicated a positive association between mean body mass index and MetS prevalence (β = 0.0772, p < 0.0001).
- Subgroup analyses revealed significant variations in prevalence estimates across different geographic regions and study designs.
Why it matters
The high prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adults with obstructive sleep apnea suggests that clinicians should prioritize screening for MetS in these patients to manage potential comorbidities effectively.