Sex differences in obstructive sleep apnea: a population-based study from northeastern Germany.

Area of Science:

• Sleep Medicine
• Respiratory Physiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent sleep disorder, more commonly diagnosed in men.
• Understanding sex-specific differences in OSA is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sex-specific variations in sleep stage distribution among individuals with OSA.
• To analyze differences in subjective daytime sleepiness between men and women with OSA.
• To specifically examine the distribution of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) across REM and non-REM sleep stages.

Main Methods:

• Population-based cross-sectional study utilizing the SHIP-TREND-0 cohort.
• Standardized polysomnography to identify 604 participants with OSA (AHI ≥ 5).
• Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) used to assess daytime sleepiness; sex differences analyzed descriptively.

Main Results:

• Females were older and had higher BMIs compared to males.
• Women exhibited higher AHI values during REM sleep versus non-REM sleep; men showed a more balanced AHI distribution.
• Women experienced longer REM sleep latency.

Conclusions:

• Significant sex-specific differences exist in the distribution of obstructive events across sleep stages.
• Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) during REM sleep warrants greater attention in OSA diagnosis and severity assessment, particularly for women.
• Further population-based research is needed to validate these findings and their clinical implications.