Background: Past clinical studies have shown the relationship between type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), but little is known about type 1 diabetes (T1D). The purpose of this study is to examine clinical indicators associated with OSA in patients with different subtypes of diabetes.

Methods: Self-administered questionnaires that asked if the patients had been diagnosed with OSA were distributed to patients with T1D and T2D. General and clinical information was confirmed with both questionnaires and medical records.

Result: Among the 1,269 T1D patients and 5,838 T2D patients, 20 T1D patients and 421 T2D patients had received a diagnosis of OSA. OSA patients were more likely to be male, older, and to have a greater BMI and lower LDLC and HDLC. T1D patients with OSA were characterized by a significantly higher prevalence of severe hypoglycemia. On the other hand, T2D patients with OSA had high HbA1c, decreased renal function, high frequency of diabetic neuropathy, and correlated with macrovascular complications.

Conclusion: The prevalence of OSA was significantly higher in T2D patients. It was suggested that OSA-related pathologies might differ between T1D and T2D patients.