Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased risk of postoperative complications in noncardiac surgery, with limited literature on cardiac surgical patients. Perioperative outcomes of patients with OSA were compared with outcomes of those without OSA undergoing cardiac surgery.

This was a retrospective single-center cohort study of adults who underwent cardiac surgery from January 2010 to April 2017. Outcomes of patients with OSA were compared with those without OSA, including length of stay, readmissions, hospital death, and short-term outcomes.

OSA was present in 2636 of 8612 patients (30.6%) identified during the study period with OSA. Patients with OSA had a longer median length of stay (6 vs 5 days, P < .001), longer incidence of prolonged (>7 days) length of stay (26.3% vs 23.0%, P < .001), and were less likely to be discharged to home (78.2% vs 84.4%, P < .001). OSA patients also had a higher 30-day readmission rate (14.7% vs 10.4%, P < .001). Acute kidney injury was more common in OSA patients (25.2% vs 19.9%, P < .001). Our multivariable model found postoperative atrial fibrillation was associated with older age and not OSA status (age <50 years compared with >75 years; odds ratio, 4.10; 95% confidence interval, 3.39-4.96).

OSA patients had a longer mean length of stay, were more likely to have a prolonged length of stay, more likely to be discharged to a location other than home, and had a higher 30-day readmission rate. This suggests higher resource utilization is required to care for OSA patients after cardiac surgery.