Morbid obesity influences the nocturnal electrocardiogram wave and interval durations among suspected sleep apnea patients

Abstract Background Obesity is a global issue with a major impact on cardiovascular health. This study explores how obesity influences nocturnal cardiac electrophysiology in suspected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. Methods We randomly selected 12 patients from each of the five World Health Organization body mass index (BMI) classifications groups (ntotal = 60) while keeping the group's age and sex matched. We evaluated 1965 nocturnal electrocardiography (ECG) samples (10 s) using modified lead II recorded during normal saturation conditions. R‐wave peaks were detected and confirmed using dedicated software, with the exclusion of ventricular extrasystoles and artifacts. The duration of waves and intervals was manually marked. The average electric potential graphs were computed for each segment. Thresholds for abnormal ECG waveforms were P‐wave > 120 ms, PQ interval > 200 ms, QRS complex > 120 ms for, and QTc > 440 ms. Results Obesity was significantly (p