Severity of obstructive sleep apnea between black and white patients

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a relatively common problem with potentially serious health consequences. The purpose of this study was to identify whether race has any effect on the severity of OSA. Our hypothesis was that OSA, when present, is more severe in black patients than white patients. This cross-sectional study was performed at Truman Medical Centers, a teaching hospital affiliated with University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine (Kansas City, MO). Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to establish if race was predictive of apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) score when controlling for age, sex, and body mass index. The analysis included 280 patients with complete data for each of the variables in the model. Race (the primary predictor of interest) did not significantly predict AHI score (P = 0.172), and neither did age (P = 0.783). Men had higher AHI scores than women (P < 0.001), and higher body mass index was associated with higher AHI score (P < 0.001). There were more black women in the sample population than white women (P = 0.043). Black patients were also more likely to have hypertension (P = 0.037). This study suggests that race is not a predictor of OSA severity after controlling for age, sex, and body mass index. There is a need for more studies to examine the prevalence of OSA in different races.