The Role of the Metabolic Syndrome Criterias to Determine Moderate to Severe Sleep Apnea Patients

Objective: Obstructive Sleep Apnea syndrome (OSAS) frequently seen in the adult population is an important public health problem. OSAS is related to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In studies, the relationship between OSAS, cardiovascular risk factors, and metabolic syndrome components is determined. This study aimed to evaluate the use of metabolic syndrome criteria to support prediagnosis of patients with sleep apnea who were admitted to sleep clinics. Materials and Methods: This study involved 247 patients (148 men, 99 women) admitted to our sleep clinic with prediagnosis of sleep apnea. The patients’ demographic features and evaluated National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel metabolic syndrome components were recorded. Results: After analysis of the relationship between Apne-hipopne index (AHI) and NCEP criteria separately, AHI was higher and more severe in men with waist circumference >102 cm (p=0.0001, kadınlarda x2=9.03, p=0.003 in women; x2=15.01, p0.05). Although AHI was significantly higher in hypertensive and hyperglycemic men (p=0.004 and p=0.002, respectively), no significant relationship was found in women for both groups (p>0.05). A statistically significant association was found between metabolic syndrome and sleep apnea (x2=5.82, p=0.016 in women; x2=8.017, p=0.005 in men). Conclusion: Our study showed that OSAS and metabolic syndrome components are clustered in patients. Patients diagnosed with OSAS must be followed closely. Besides, population with risk factors can be determined with simple anthropometric measurements and blood tests in primary health care centers and can be prioritized in sleep clinics.