Impact of sleep apnea on comorbidity burden and healthcare utilisation: Data from Beijing municipal medical insurance database

BACKGROUND: Sleep apnoea (SA) is prevalent and correlated with multiple comorbidities. Nevertheless, SA remains underdiagnosed and underrecognized in the Chinese population. This study aimed to evaluate the comorbidity burden and healthcare utilisation among SA patients from the Beijing Medical Insurance Database. METHODS: This study extracted data from the Beijing Medical Insurance Database spanning 2016 to 2021. Patients with SA documented in the discharge diagnosis on the front page of medical records were enrolled as the case group, and one control subject matched by age, gender, and admission date was randomly assigned to each case. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance additional covariates. Primary indicators included comorbidity burden, hospitalisation frequency, length of stay, and medical expenditures. Generalised linear models were used to evaluate the associations. RESULTS: A total of 50 379 pairs were initially identified, and 33 439 pairs were included in the final analysis after PSM. The comorbidity burden was significantly increased among SA patients. SA was independently associated with higher medical expenditures, including daily cost, per-visit cost, annual cost, and cumulative cost, as well as longer hospital length of stay and greater hospitalisation frequency. Subgroup analyses revealed that the increased healthcare utilisation was more pronounced among females, individuals aged ≥65 years, unemployed subjects, and patients with related comorbidities. CONCLUSION: The comorbidity burden and healthcare utilisation are significantly increased in SA patients. There is an urgent need to enhance awareness of SA as a prevalent disorder and to implement early screening and proactive interventions.