Gender Differences in the Polysomnographic Findings among Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of gender on the polysomnographic differences between men and women with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A retrospective review was performed of 110 patients who snore (91 males, 19 females) and were suspected of OSA. Polysomnography was performed for each patient. Gender comparison of polysomnographic parameters were made by performing Mann-Whitney U-tests. RESULTS: OSA was observed about five times more often in men than in women. Women were significantly older but were not heavier than men. Sleep structure showed no significant differences between men and women except that stage 1 sleep was observed more in men and stage 2 sleep more in women, respectively. The apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and non-rapid eye movement sleep were higher in men, but rapid eye movement sleep AHI in women was not different to men. The total and respiratory arousal indices (AI) and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) were higher in men than in women. CONCLUSION: The fact that more stage 1 sleep and the greater AHI, AI and ODI were found in men suggest that sleep quality may be worse in men than in women patients.