Although commonly observed in clinical practice, the heterogeneity of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) clinical presentation has not been formally characterised.This study was the first to apply cluster analysis to identify subtypes of patients with OSA who experience distinct combinations of symptoms and comorbidities. An analysis of baseline data from the Icelandic Sleep Apnoea Cohort (822 patients with newly diagnosed moderate-to-severe OSA) was performed.Three distinct clusters were identified. They were classified as the ''disturbed sleep group'' (cluster 1), ''minimally symptomatic group'' (cluster 2) and ''excessive daytime sleepiness group'' (cluster 3), consisting of 32.7%, 24.7% and 42.6% of the entire cohort, respectively. The probabilities of having comorbid hypertension and cardiovascular disease were highest in cluster 2 but lowest in cluster 3. The clusters did not differ significantly in terms of sex, body mass index or apnoea-hypopnoea index.Patients with OSA have different patterns of clinical presentation, which need to be communicated to both the lay public and the professional community with the goal of facilitating care-seeking and early identification of OSA. Identifying distinct clinical profiles of OSA creates a foundation for offering more personalised therapies in the future. @ERSpublications This study identified 3 different subtypes of patients with obstructive sleep apnoea based on clinical presentations http://ow.ly/AjuEZ

Positive airway pressure treatment significantly reduced symptoms of middle insomnia. Symptoms of initial and late insomnia, however, tended to persist regardless of positive airway pressure treatment and had a negative effect on adherence. Targeted treatment for insomnia may be beneficial for patients with obstructive sleep apnea comorbid with insomnia and has the potential to positively affect adherence to positive airway pressure.

The aim was to assess the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) as defined by an apnoea-hypopnea index (AHI) ⩾15 in the middle-aged general population, and the interrelationship between OSA, sleep-related symptoms, sleepiness and vigilance.A general population sample of 40-65-year-old Icelanders was invited to participate in a study protocol that included a type 3 sleep study, questionnaire and a psychomotor vigilance test (PVT).Among the 415 subjects included in the study, 56.9% had no OSA (AHI <5), 24.1% had mild OSA (AHI 5-14.9), 12.5% had moderate OSA (AHI 15-29.9), 2.9% had severe OSA (AHI ⩾30) and 3.6% were already diagnosed and receiving OSA treatment. However, no significant relationship was found between AHI and subjective sleepiness or clinical symptoms. A relationship with objective vigilance assessed by PVT was only found for those with AHI ⩾30. Subjects already on OSA treatment and those accepting OSA treatment after participating in the study were more symptomatic and sleepier than others with similar OSA severity, as assessed by the AHI.In a middle-aged general population, approximately one in five subjects had moderate-to-severe OSA, but the majority of them were neither symptomatic nor sleepy and did not have impaired vigilance. @ERSpublications Overall, 15% of the general population had untreated OSA without symptoms, sleepiness or decreased vigilance http://ow.ly/StiqS

Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) often co-exist, but the nature of their relationship is unclear. The aims of this study were to compare the prevalence of initial and middle insomnia between OSA patients and controls from the general population as well as to study the influence of insomnia on sleepiness and quality of life in OSA patients. Two groups were compared, untreated OSA patients (n=824) and controls ≥ 40 years from the general population in Iceland (n=762). All subjects answered the same questionnaires on health and sleep and OSA patients underwent a sleep study. Altogether, 53% of controls were males compared to 81% of OSA patients. Difficulties maintaining sleep (DMS) were more common among men and women with OSA compared to the general population (52 vs. 31% and 62 vs. 31%, respectively, p<0.0001). Difficulties initiating sleep (DIS) and DIS+DMS were more common among women with OSA compared to women without OSA. OSA patients with DMS were sleepier than patients without DMS (Epworth Sleepiness Scale: 12.2 vs. 10.9, <0.001) while both DMS and DIS were related to lower quality of life in OSA patients as measured by the Short Form 12 (physical score 39 vs. 42 and mental score 36 vs. 41, p<0.001). DIS and DMS were not related to OSA severity. Insomnia is common among OSA patients and has a negative influence on quality of life and sleepiness in this patient group. It is relevant to screen for insomnia among OSA patients and treat both conditions when they co-occur.