Gender differences in the sleep variables contributing to excessive daytime sleepiness among patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Abstract

Purpose Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a main symptom in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); however, patients with OSA have significant variability in their reported EDS which cannot be fully explained by the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences regarding the sleep test variables contributing to excessive daytime sleepiness. Methods Retrospective study of 578 men and 270 women with suspected OSA who underwent home overnight sleep test. We assessed the correlation between sleep test variables and EDS, using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Results Among the group of men, correlation was found between ESS to BMI (r = .107, p = .010), AHI (r = .158, p < .001), number of apneas (r = .129, p = .002), number of hypopneas (r = .115, p = .006), number of blood oxygen desaturations (r = .145, p < .001), and percent of time the blood oxygen saturation was under 90% (r = .130, p = .002). However, among the group of women, no significant correlation was found between any of the sleep test parameters or BMI to ESS. Among the group of women, a negative correlation was found between age and EDS (r = − .208, p < .001). Conclusion Men showed correlations between sleep test variables and EDS, while women did not show such correlations. The results suggest that men’s sleepiness is more influenced by OSA and sleep variables compared to women. To our knowledge, this is the first study which shows difference between genders in the influence of sleep variables and OSA on EDS.

Development and validation of a simple clinical nomogram for predicting obstructive sleep apnea

“…It has been reported in the literature that for the elderly, weight loss usually leads to a decrease in fat and muscle mass, which may further impair the strength and effectiveness of the pharyngeal muscles, and lead to a more easily folded upper airway (Liu et al, 2021). It was previously found that BMI is associated with sleepiness in men, while ESS is not associated with BMI in women with OSA (Honig, Green, & Daga, 2021). Therefore, the predictors of gender, age, DBP, BMI, NC and ESS are all related to OSA, and they were deemed reasonable for the construction of the model.…”

Evaluation of the Clinical Effects of Insomnia and Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Older Adults

“…Oliveira et al (24) concluded that insomnia symptoms are more common in elderly females, while another study reported that female gender was not an independent risk factor for sleep disorders (25). These differences may result from the methodological discrepancies of the studies as well as the fact that some hormonal and biological ones in both genders may affect sleep disorders (26).…”