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Impact of gender and sleep position on relationships between anthropometric parameters and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

  • Epidemiology • Original Article
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Abstract

Objective

Considering the mechanisms by which obesity affects obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and the differences of fat distribution depending on gender, associations between anthropometric parameters, and OSAS may differ depending on gender or sleep position. We analyzed the impact of gender and sleep position on the relationship between fat distribution and development of OSAS.

Methods

One thousand thirty-two consecutive subjects were analyzed. Recorded anthropometric measurements and overnight polysomnographic data of the subjects were reviewed retrospectively. The presence of OSAS was defined by the respiratory disturbance index (RDI) ≥5 with documented symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness.

Results

Eight hundred fifty-eight males and 174 females were included. Male subjects had significantly higher body mass index (BMI), larger waist circumference (WC), and lower percent of overall body fat (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P < 0.0001, respectively). The severity of OSAS was significantly higher in male subjects (RDI 26.9 ± 22.4 in males vs. 10.2 ± 13.8 in females, P < 0.0001). In male subjects, BMI, WC, and overall body fat were significantly associated with severity of OSAS and had larger impacts on supine RDI than lateral RDI. Overall body fat was not associated with severity of OSAS in female subjects, and there were no significant differences of the associations between all anthropometric parameters and RDIs depending on sleep position.

Conclusions

Evaluation of the correlation of anthropometric data with severity of OSAS should consider sleep position as well as gender.

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Acknowledgments

Guarantor statement

Hyo Yeol Kim takes responsibility for the integrity and content of the manuscript, including the data and analysis.

Author contributions

Jong In Jeong, Sang Duk Hong, Su Jin Kim, Hun-Jong Dhong, Seung-Kyu Chung, and Hyo Yeol Kim contributed to the study design, data analysis and interpretation, and writing and review of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, South Korea

    Jong In Jeong

  2. Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea

    Seonhye Gu

  3. Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkunkwan University, Seoul, South Korea

    Juhee Cho

  4. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-710, South Korea

    Sang Duk Hong, Su Jin Kim, Hun-Jong Dhong, Seung-Kyu Chung & Hyo Yeol Kim

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  1. Jong In Jeong
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  2. Seonhye Gu
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  5. Su Jin Kim
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Correspondence to Hyo Yeol Kim.

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No funding was received for this research.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Samsung Medical Center (IRB No. SMC 2015-11-094).

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Jeong, J.I., Gu, S., Cho, J. et al. Impact of gender and sleep position on relationships between anthropometric parameters and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Sleep Breath 21, 535–541 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-016-1413-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-016-1413-1

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