TITLE:
Gender Differences in Comorbidities and Sleep Patterns of Obese Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
AUTHORS:
Ricardo José Benício Valadares, Klayton Galante Sousa, Marília Nascimento Espindola, Carlos Eduardo Ventura Gaio dos Santos, Carlos Alberto Assis Viegas
KEYWORDS:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Obesity, Gender, Comorbidity
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Neuroscience,
Vol.5 No.1,
February
4,
2015
ABSTRACT: Objective: The aim of the
study was to compare the comorbidities and sleep patterns most commonly
associated with each gender in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods: This was
a cross-sectional study of obese individuals with OSA.The polysomnographies were carried out
in a sleep laboratory environment, using a 15-channel polysomnography setup.
Airflow was measured using a nasal pressure cannula/thermistor combination. A
standard handbook was used for interpretation of PSG findings. Results: A total
of 284 subjects were included in the study, (147 females). The mean age, body
mass index and neck circumference were similar between females and males (p= 0.9579,ppp= 0.0210) and a higher percentage ofdelta sleep (10.09 ± 7.48 vs. 7.55 ±
6.57,p= 0.0037); males had more frequent
microarousals (38.37± 27.44 vs.
28.07 ± 21.23,p= 0.0017) and a higher AHI score
(30.56 ± 27.52 vs. 17.31 ± 21.23,pp= 0.0132), hypothyroidism (20% vs.
2.19%,ppp= 0.0245) and alcohol intake (33.88%
vs. 11.34%,pneck circumference
and higher AHI and arousal indices than females. Conclusions: There are
genderdifferences both in the sleep patterns and in the comorbidities of
patients with OSA. Men had a larger neck circumference, higher apnea and sleep
fragmentation scores, were more likely to consume alcohol, and were more likely
to have a history of myocardial infarction than women.