[Clinical characteristics of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome in different genders].

Objective

To explore the gender difference of clinical features in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome （OSAHS）, and explore the relationship between OSAHS and gender.

Methods

4499 patients with OSAHS were examined by polysomnography （PSG） and Epworth sleepiness scale （ESS）. Subjects were divided into mild, moderate and severe groups according to the severity of OSAHS. The results were compared and analyzed between male and female patients.

Results

The ESS score of female patients was lower than that of male, and difference was still significant in moderate and severe subgroups[8.0（4.0, 13.0） vs 10.0（5.0, 15.0）, P<0.05]. The apnea hypopnea index（AHI） of female patients was significantly lower than that of male patients[22.8（11.6, 43.1） vs 35.7（16.5, 61.3）, P<0.05]. Compared with male patients, female patients had older age, smaller neck circumference, smaller body mass index（BMI） and higher lowest oxygen saturation （LSaO2）, and the difference mentioned above was most significant in severe subgroup（P<0.05）. Difference was also found in the distribution of severity between male and female patients.

Conclusion

The age of onset, daytime sleepiness, neck circumference, BMI index, lowest blood oxygen saturation, sleep time and OSAHS severity are different between male and female, suggesting that there are gender differences in OSAHS patients. Therefore, in clinical diagnosis and treatment of female patients, more attention should be paid to atypical symptoms, and the ESS scale should be modified to improve the diagnostic sensitivity of female OSAHS patients, to actively intervene and improve their prognosis.