Association between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and waist-to-height ratio

Obesity is among the known risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). In this study, our aim was to investigate the correlation of waist-to-height ratio, an indicator of central obesity, with presence and severity of OSAS; to compare the use of this ratio with the use of waist circumference and body mass index (BMI); and to determine OSAS-related cutoff values.

The patient records were retrospectively analyzed for whom a polysomnography was conducted at our sleep. Sex, age, Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), waist circumference, height, and BMI values of those patients were recorded. AHI scores were used to classify severity of OSAS.

The study included 437 OSAS patients and 72 control cases. Out of the patient group, OSAS was severe in 208 (47%) patients, moderate in 124 (28%), and mild in 105 (24%) of them. In the group of OSAS patients, waist-to-height ratio, waist circumference, and BMI were higher compared to the control group with a further difference of all three parameters among severe, moderate, mild OSAS, and controls both in males and females. Cutoff values for OSAS of females were 95.5 cm for waist circumference, 0.595 for waist-to-height ratio, and 27.75 for BMI whereas the cutoff values of males were 100.5 cm, 0.575, and 27.75, respectively.

A high value of waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and BMI is associated with the presence and severity of OSAS. We have determined the cutoff values of the studied anthropometric measurements in both sexes for OSAS and severe OSAS.