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Richard S. T. Leung

MD, PhD

Investigator

Email: Richard.Leung@unityhealth.to
Tel: 416-864-6026

Biography

Research Interests

Sleep apnea, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, autonomic nervous system, heart rate variability

Research Activities

My main area of interest is the autonomic and cardiac effects of sleep apnea. In particular, I am interested in the ways sleep apnea can cause arrhythmias and other cardiac diseases. I perform both physiological studies in patients and healthy volunteers, as well as epidemiologic studies.

Recent Publications

  1. Kendzerska, T, Murray, BJ, Gershon, AS, Povitz, M, McIsaac, DI, Bryson, GL et al.. Polysomnographic Assessment of Sleep Disturbances in Cancer Development: A Historical Multicenter Clinical Cohort Study. Chest. 2023;164 (2):517-530. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2023.03.006. PubMed PMID:36907376 PubMed Central PMC10475821.
  2. Kendzerska, T, Gershon, AS, Povitz, M, Boulos, MI, Murray, BJ, McIsaac, DI et al.. Polysomnographic Markers of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Severity and Cancer-related Mortality: A Large Retrospective Multicenter Clinical Cohort Study. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2022;19 (5):807-818. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202106-738OC. PubMed PMID:34788198 PubMed Central PMC9116343.
  3. Kendzerska, T, Leung, RS, Boulos, MI, McIsaac, DI, Murray, BJ, Bryson, GL et al.. An Association between Positive Airway Pressure Device Manufacturer and Incident Cancer? A Secondary Data Analysis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2021;204 (12):1484-1488. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202107-1734LE. PubMed PMID:34587472 PubMed Central PMC8865709.
  4. Ahmad, A, Ahmad, R, Meteb, M, Ryan, CM, Leung, RS, Montandon, G et al.. The relationship between opioid use and obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev. 2021;58 :101441. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101441. PubMed PMID:33567395 .
  5. Kendzerska, T, Povitz, M, Leung, RS, Boulos, MI, McIsaac, DI, Murray, BJ et al.. Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Incident Cancer: A Large Retrospective Multicenter Clinical Cohort Study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2021;30 (2):295-304. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-20-0975. PubMed PMID:33268490 PubMed Central PMC7867627.
  6. Kendzerska, T, Leung, RS, Atzema, CL, Chandy, G, Meteb, M, Malhotra, A et al.. Cardiovascular consequences of obstructive sleep apnea in women: a historical cohort study. Sleep Med. 2020;68 :71-79. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2019.08.021. PubMed PMID:32028229 PubMed Central PMC7075717.
  7. Perger, E, Lyons, OD, Inami, T, Smith, S, Floras, JS, Logan, AG et al.. Predictors of 1-year compliance with adaptive servoventilation in patients with heart failure and sleep disordered breathing: preliminary data from the ADVENT-HF trial. Eur Respir J. 2019;53 (2):. doi: 10.1183/13993003.01626-2018. PubMed PMID:30409822 .
  8. Kendzerska, T, Leung, RS, Aaron, SD, Ayas, N, Sandoz, JS, Gershon, AS et al.. Cardiovascular Outcomes and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Overlap Syndrome). Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2019;16 (1):71-81. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201802-136OC. PubMed PMID:30372124 .
  9. Leung, RS. Arousability in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Friend or Foe?. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2019;199 (7):821-822. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201810-1935ED. PubMed PMID:30372123 PubMed Central PMC6444655.
  10. Kendzerska, T, Gershon, AS, Atzema, C, Dorian, P, Mangat, I, Hawker, G et al.. Sleep Apnea Increases the Risk of New Hospitalized Atrial Fibrillation: A Historical Cohort Study. Chest. 2018;154 (6):1330-1339. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2018.08.1075. PubMed PMID:30243978 .
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Affiliations & Other Activities

  • Director, Sleep Laboratory, St. Michael’s Hospital
  • Staff Physician, Division of Respirology, St. Michael’s Hospital
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto
  • Program Committee, Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology Section, American Thoracic Society