A Case of Mild OSA Exacerbated by Alcohol Use

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is highly prevalent and exacerbated by alcohol consumption. With an increasing uptake of unsupervised home-based sleep studies for diagnosis, alcohol use can significantly confound results and impact clinical management. We present the case of a 65 year-old male referred for OSA evaluation. An initial home sleep study, performed in the setting of significant alcohol intake, demonstrated moderate OSA (AHI 22.1) with predominantly supine sleep (99% of total sleep time). A subsequent alcohol-free in-lab study revealed only mild OSA (7.5) with predominantly non-supine sleep (41.9% of total sleep time supine). This marked change reflects the effect of alcohol on OSA severity and sleep architecture. Our case emphasises the importance of documenting alcohol use prior to and during sleep studies and the incorporation of alcohol reduction in OSA management for selected patients.