Polysomnographic comparison between Chinese and Caucasian patients with obstructive sleep apnea

The Chinese population has a comparable prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) compared to their Caucasian counterparts, but are notably less obese. Given this difference in body weight, Chinese patients could have a distinct OSA phenotype. We aimed to compare the characteristics of obstructive events in Chinese and Caucasian individuals matched for OSA severity. Chinese and Caucasian subjects with moderate-to-severe OSA (apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 20events/h) were included in the study ( n = 90) and matched for age, gender and AHI. Data were analysed to identify differences in event type, effect of sleep state and body position, degree of hypoxemia, and prevalence of metabolic risk factors. Data presented are Mean ± SEM or Median (IQR). Chinese subjects had a significantly lower body mass index (BMI) compared to AHI-matched Caucasian counterparts [27 (25–30) versus 34 (30–39) kg/m 2 , p