Sex-specific differences in presenting symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea

Abhishek Goyal; Rishikesh Meena; Suruchi Gupta; Avishek Kar; Rashida Ali; Arwa Bohra; Vindhya Solanki; Poonam Chaudhary; Abhijit Pakhare

doi:10.4103/lungindia.lungindia_235_22

Sex-specific differences in presenting symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea

Lung India. 2024 Mar 1;41(2):115-120. doi: 10.4103/lungindia.lungindia_235_22. Epub 2024 Feb 27.

Authors

Abhishek Goyal¹, Rishikesh Meena¹, Suruchi Gupta², Avishek Kar³, Rashida Ali¹, Arwa Bohra¹, Vindhya Solanki¹, Poonam Chaudhary⁴, Abhijit Pakhare²

Affiliations

¹ Pulmonary Medicine, AIIMS Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
² Community and Family Medicine, AIIMS Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
³ Pulmonary Medicine, AIIMS Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India.
⁴ Department of Biochemistry, AIIMS Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Abstract

Objectives: Scant data from India are available on the gender differences in presenting features of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in India. This study aims to compare male and female patients with OSA for general characteristics and presenting symptoms.

Methodology: Retrospective study was done in OSA patients diagnosed in our sleep lab. History, biochemical reports, and polysomnography variables were retrieved from the sleep registry and were compared between males and females.

Results: Out of 514 patients of OSA (367 males; 147 females). Females were older (55.97 ± 9.73 v/s 50.2 + 12.70 years, P<0.001) and more obese (BMI 35.26 ± 7.17 v/s 29.58 ± 5.49 Kg/m2; P<0.001). Waist and hip circumference were significantly higher in the female patients (P = 0.009 and <0.001 respectively). Morning headache, nocturia, fatigability (P < 0.001), and depression (P = 0.005) was more common in females (P = 0.036). Hypersomnia was more commonly seen in males (P < 0.001). Mean diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher in males, although no difference was seen in Systolic BP. Females had higher mean Fasting Blood glucose (FBS) (P = 0.02). Apnea hypopnea index was significantly higher in females {P = 0.01}.

Conclusion: Women with OSA are more obese, elderly, and with higher fasting blood glucose than males at the time of diagnosis. Females have a higher prevalence of symptoms like fatigability, depression, nocturia and early morning headache and had more severe AHI than males.