Insomnia may be a risk factor for highly fatal brain aneurysm rupture


Date:
November 3, 2021
Source:
American Heart Association
Summary:
Researchers identified insomnia as a potential risk factor for
brain aneurysm, also called an intracranial aneurysm, and a type
of stroke called an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Smoking and
high blood pressure, which are identified stroke risk factors, were
also associated with increased risk for brain aneurysm. According
to researchers, the finding that insomnia may be a potential risk
factor for intracranial aneurysm is new and calls for additional
research.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Insomnia may be a potential risk factor for a brain bleed from a ruptured aneurysm along with more well known risk factors of smoking and high
blood pressure, according to new research published today in the Journal
of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American
Heart Association.


==========================================================================
More than 3% of adults worldwide have unruptured blood vessel
malformations in the brain called intracranial aneurysms, the majority
of which will never rupture. About 2.5% of intracranial aneurysms will
rupture, resulting in a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), also called a
brain bleed. SAH is a type of stroke that occurs when a blood vessel on
the surface of the brain ruptures and bleeds into the space between the
brain and the skull.

"Ruptured aneurysms are highly fatal. It is, therefore, extremely
important to identify modifiable risk factors that can help prevent
aneurysms from rupturing," said study author Susanna C. Larsson, Ph.D., associate professor in the unit of cardiovascular and nutritional
epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and the
unit of medical epidemiology at Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden.

The researchers sought to determine whether various factors were
associated with intracranial aneurysm and/or the aneurysm rupturing. They studied established risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure
and also assessed the link between aneurysms and coffee consumption,
sleep, physical activity, body mass index (BMI), blood glucose levels,
type 2 diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, chronic inflammation and
kidney function.

Data from several genome-wide association studies were used to
gauge genetic associations to lifestyle and cardiometabolic risk
factors. Genetic information from a meta-analysis conducted by the International Stroke Genetics Consortium was used to identify nearly
6,300 cases of intracranial aneurysm and nearly 4,200 cases of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Cases of intracranial aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage were compared to over 59,500 controls to determine genetic predisposition for aneurysms. According to the analysis:
* A genetic predisposition for insomnia was associated with a 24%
increased
risk for intracranial aneurysm and aneurysmal subarachnoid
hemorrhage.

* The risk for intracranial aneurysm was about three times higher for
smokers vs. non-smokers.

* The risk for intracranial aneurysm was almost three times higher
for each
10 mm Hg increase in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number
in a blood pressure reading).

* High triglyceride levels and high BMI did not demonstrate an
increased
risk for intracranial aneurysm and aneurysmal subarachnoid
hemorrhage.

"The association between insomnia and intracranial aneurysm has not
been reported previously, and these findings warrant confirmation in
future studies," Larsson said. "Our research supports the thinking that
risk factors that people can change or manage may impact brain aneurysms
and hemorrhage risk. Once confirmed, future studies should examine ways
to incorporate this knowledge into prevention programs and therapies." According to a 2016 American Heart Association scientific statement, Sleep Duration and Quality: Impact on Lifestyle Behaviors and Cardiometabolic
Health, insufficient and poor-quality sleep and sleep disorders are
linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure. The statement summary
notes that treating people with sleep disorders may provide clinical
benefits, particularly for blood pressure.

Study limitations included that there was not enough information to
adequately analyze some of the risk factors. In addition, the analysis
included only people of European ancestry; therefore, the findings may
not be generalizable to people from diverse racial and ethnic groups.

Co-authors are Ville Karhunen, Ph.D.; Mark K. Bakker, M.Sc.; Ynte
M. Ruigrok, Ph.D.; and Dipender Gill, Ph.D.

The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working
Life and Welfare funded the study.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by American_Heart_Association. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Ville Karhunen, Mark K. Bakker, Ynte M. Ruigrok, Dipender Gill,
Susanna
C. Larsson. Modifiable Risk Factors for Intracranial Aneurysm and
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Journal of the American Heart Association, 2021; DOI: 10.1161/
JAHA.121.022277 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211103082627.htm

--- up 8 weeks, 6 days, 8 hours, 25 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)