Differences in Clinical and Polysomnographic Variables Between Male and Female Patients With Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome

Change in Quality of Life of OSAHS Patients with Minimally Invasive Surgery or CPAP Therapy: A 2-year Retrospective, Single-center Parallel-group Study

BACKGROUND

By including untreated obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patients as the control group, this study explores the influence of minimally invasive surgical treatment and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy on OSAHS patients, with the subjective and objective performance. The study also discusses their relationship, determines the effect factor, and provides a simple and practical method for evaluation of clinical efficacy.

METHODS

A total of 90 OSAHS patients, who were diagnosed in the Sleep Disorders Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Sichuan Province from May 2014 to May 2016, were selected for the present study. These patients were divided into three groups: surgery group, CPAP group, and untreated group. These patients were followed up at six months, one year, and two years, respectively. The physiological indicators, clinical symptoms, degree of daytime sleepiness and quality of life were compared among these three groups. The daytime sleepiness and the quality of life before and after minimally invasive surgery and CPAP treatment were evaluated, and the subjective and objective efficacy of surgery and CPAP treatment was explored.

RESULTS

Among these 90 patients, 11 (12.2%) patients had hypertension, while two (2.2%) patients had diabetes. The average AHI score was 50.53±23.39 per hour, and the mean minimum oxygen saturation and mean oxygen saturation was 71.25±14.16% and 90.13±5.90%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in mouth breathing, morning sore throat and daytime sleepiness in the group having received surgery at 0.5 year and one year. In the CPAP group, there were statistically significant differences in mouth breathing, morning sore throat and daytime sleepiness at 0.5 year, one year and two years. Moreover, there were statistically significant differences in memory loss at one year and two years, and there were statistically significant differences in frequent nocturia at one year. The ESS value in the surgery group decreased at 0.5 year and one year, but increased at two years. The situation was the same in terms of the total points and in each dimension of the SF-36 paramter. The delta values of ESS among the three groups had statistical significance at 0.5 year, one year and two years, in which the CPAP group experienced the most changes, followed by the surgery group and the group received health education.

CONCLUSION

For minimally invasive surgery, CPAP therapy and health education can improve daytime sleepiness and quality of life. CPAP therapy was found to be the most effective, followed by minimally invasive surgery and provision of health education. However, the treatment of OSAHS should be comprehensive.

Novel sexual dimorphisms of sleep apnea syndrome in diabetes

BACKGROUND

OSAS, a frequently neglected, yet frequent comorbidity in T2DM, is associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome and central fat. OSAS is better documented in males, and this study explored novel gender dimorphisms in T2DM.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study: 815 T2DM (541 males; 274 females) classified into OSAS[-] and OSAS[+] were assessed for cardiometabolic risk factors, glucose homeostasis, micro/macroangiopathies, CV risk, autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD); and GAD65 antibodies.

RESULTS

There was a gender dimorphism in glucose control (worse in females), apolipoprotein B100 (higher in females), with apoB100/apoA1 and log(TG)/HDL-C sexually dimorphic. There was also a marked gender dimorphism in GAD65 positivity, higher (+793%) in OSAS[+] females vs. males. There were clear sexual dimorphisms in macro-/microangioathies, regarding stroke, retinopathy and polyneuropathy. OSAS was not sexually dimorphic regarding age; education; and diabetes duration. There was a significant dimorphism in ethnicity. There were no gender-specific dimorphisms related to OSAS in anthropometrics, nor in hypertension, insulin sensitivity, or hyperbolic product loss rate.

CONCLUSION

We report a series of novel OSAS-related sexual dimorphisms, concerning GAD65 auto-antibodies; polyneuropathy; atherogenic dyslipidemia [all increased in females]; diabetic retinopathy; North-Caucasian ethnicity; metabolic control; and TIA/stroke prevalence [all lower in females]. These findings raise challenging questions regarding the reciprocal pathophysiology between obstructive sleep disorders and cardiometabolic risk in T2DM.

Neck circumference, a bedside clinical feature related to mortality of acute ischemic stroke

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical/demographic factors, sleep alterations and one year mortality in acute ischemic stroke.

METHODS

This was a prospective study of 89 consecutive patients (mean age 64.39 ± 8.51 years) with acute ischemic stroke. High risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was evaluated by the Berlin questionnaire, daytime somnolence by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (> 10) and subjective sleep quality by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (> 5). Clinical and anthropometric data including body mass index, hip-waist ratio, neck circumference (NC) were obtained. Increased NC was defined if > 43 cm in men and > 38 cm in women. Stroke severity was estimated by the Barthel Index and the modified Rankin Scale. The end-point was death after 12 months follow-up.

RESULT

One-year mortality was 8.9%. Non-survivors were older (p = 0.006) and had larger NC (p = 0.02). Among all cases, large NC was related to high risk of OSA, diabetes and hypertension (Fisher's exact test). Compared to men, women showed relatively larger NC. Overall, family history of stroke (74.2 %), diabetes (33.7%) and hypertension (78.6%) were frequent; obesity (11.2%) was uncommon. Daytime sleepiness (34.8 %), poor sleep quality (65.2%) and risk of OSA (58.42%) were frequently found.

CONCLUSION

Poor sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness and high risk of OSA are frequent in this sample with acute ischemic stroke. One-year mortality was related to older age and large NC. As obesity is uncommon in acute stroke patients, a large NC should be taken as a significant clinical sign related to mortality.