Obesity - Important Risk Factor for Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Abstract

Sleep apnea syndrome is a common pathology with negative consequences on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The relationship between obesity and OSAS is complex, multifactorial and bidirectional; that leads to a negative mutual influence of the two pathologies. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the risk associated with obesity and the occurrence of the apnea phenomenon, as well as, to compare the various polysomnographic parameters and to compare them with obesity. 100 patients took part to this study. 60 % of the patients were diagnosed with OSAS. 71 % of the patients had varying degrees of obesity. Significant statistic differences were revealed between: the Mean variation of the BMI in patients with and without apnea (T Test p= 0,007 <  0,05); the dorsal AHI Mean of the non-obese group as against to the dorsal AHI Mean of the obese group (T Test p= 0,002), the AHI Mean in other positions of the non-obese group as against to the AHI Mean in other positions of the obese group (T Test p= 0,000) and the Mean of the arousal index of the non-obese group as against to the Mean of the arousal index of the obese group (T Test p= 0,009). The current study revealed that the arousals associated with breathing events and the position during sleep, especially in obese patients, worsen the consequences of OSAS.