Prevalence of symptoms and risk of sleep apnea in middle-aged Saudi males in primary care

The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea OSA has not been assessed in Saudi Arabia. We aimed to assess the prevalence of individuals who were at risk of OSA in a sample of middle-aged Saudi males, using the Berlin questionnaire at primary care settings. The study was conducted at King Khalid University and King Fahd National Guard primary health care clinics in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between December 2005 and March 2006. Berlin Questionnaire was administered by trained medical students to consecutive Saudi male patients in the age group 30-65 years attending the primary health care clinics, after explaining the procedure of the study. Based on the data collected and defined criteria, patients were stratified into high risk and low risk according to responses. Five hundred and seventy-eight middle-aged Saudi males with a mean age of 45.02 +/- 9.3 year were surveyed in this study. Snoring was present in 52.3%, and breathing pauses more than once per week was noticed in 11.3%. Based on the Berlin questionnaire stratification for risk of OSA, 33.3% were considered as high risk patients for OSA. The occurrence of daytime tiredness >once/week was reported by 35.5%. The prevalence of snoring and risk for OSA is similar to that reported in the US. In primary care setting, one in 3 middle-aged Saudi males is at risk for OSA

Prevalence of sleep problems and habits in a sample of Saudi primary school children

Sleep problems in children vary not only with age, but also with ethnic and sociocultural background. No research has been conducted to assess sleep problems in Saudi elementary school children. This study surveyed parents [or guardians] about their elementary school children's sleep to assess the prevalence of certain sleep problems. The study population comprised boys and girls attending regular public elementary schools in all grades and was conducted during springtime of the year 1999. A questionnaire inquiring about demographic data, specific sleep problems and habits and home environment was distributed and completed by the parents or guardians. A total of 1012 complete questionnaires were included in the analysis. The sample comprised 511 boys [50.5%] and 501 girls [49.5%]. The mean age was 9.5 +/- 1.9 years, ranging from 5 to 13 years. Daytime fatigue was the most prevalent sleep problem [37.5%] followed by bedtime resistance [26.2%], difficulty rising in the morning during weekdays [20.7%], and sleep-onset delay [11.8%]. Cosleeping with parents was reported in 12.4% of children. The study revealed some differences between boys and girls. Napping during the daytime was reported in 40.8% of children. The study showed that sleep problems are prevalent among Saudi elementary school children. Moreover, the study shed some light on sleep habits and practices in this age group in Saudi Arabia, like the high prevalence of daytime napping