Obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS): association with obesity, gender and age

Obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) has been the focus of extensive research because of its association with neurocognitive and cardiovascular complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and association between OSAHS and the class of obesity, gender and age in outpatients referred to a sleep laboratory. We selected 1,595 patients, 71.7% male. Mean +/- SD age was 46.7 +/- 11.7 years, BMI was 28.1 +/- 5.1 kg/m2 and AIH was 13.9 +/- 15.5 events/ hour of sleep. The patients were considered apneic when the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was > 5 events/hour of sleep; OSAHS was present in: (1) 71.1% of men and 50.3% of women (p < 0.001); (2) in 45.3% of patients with normal BMI, in 64.3% of those overweighed and in 80% of obese (p < 0.001). According to age, 61.2% with age < 55 were apneic, as well as 78% of those with age > 55 years old (p < 0.001). We concluded that OSAHS was directly and strongly associated to the male gender, obesity class and to aging.