# Sleep pathology and cardiac aging

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · 2024 · $133,410

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Sleep is normally a period of biological rest and recuperation for the cardiovascular system. Inadequate or low-
quality sleep is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Increasing evidence also suggests
that cardiac aging is an important hallmark of CVD. Traditional sleep assessment is based on questionaries
that are known to suffer from limited resolution and existing biases. In addition, sleep quality is typically
measured at a single examination, which limits its capability to assess the impact of changes in sleep patterns
on cardiac health. Recent advances in digital technologies provide a promising solution to assess the impact of
sleep pathology on cardiac health longitudinally. We hypothesize that impaired sleep quality and sleep apnea
accelerate cardiac electrophysiological aging and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. We will leverage
a rare longitudinal collection of objective sleep measures and cardiovascular health in the Korean Genome and
Epidemiology Study (KoGES). Our study will include ~2800 participants who have 3 cycles of overnight
polysomnography starting in 2011 and 4th cycle to be completed by 2025. Two specific aims will be pursued. In
Aim 1, we will assess the association of sleep apnea on aging cross-sectionally and longitudinally over 12
years. In Aim 2, we will determine if specific sleep and sleep apnea endotypes are associated with accelerated
cardiac aging. This investigation will provide critical knowledge to better understand the impact of sleep on
cardiac aging and cardiac health. Our long-term goal is to use sleep-targeted treatment as a way to preserve
cardiac function, preventing the inevitable deterioration with aging.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10976019
- **Project number:** 1R21HL175584-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Honghuang Lin
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $133,410
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-17 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10976019

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10976019, Sleep pathology and cardiac aging (1R21HL175584-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10976019. Licensed CC0.

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