Obstructive sleep apnea: a comparison of black and white subjects.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) differs by racial group.


METHODS
Cross-sectional retrospective review.


METHODS
University-based sleep disorders laboratory.


METHODS
The study reviewed the results of 280 adult (>18 y) patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome by overnight polysomnogram between July 1, 1999, and June 30, 2000. Factors analyzed included age, sex, race, presence of hypertension, body mass index (kg/m2), respiratory disturbance index (RDI), and lowest oxygen saturation level.


RESULTS
Blacks with OSA are significantly more obese and have significantly higher rates of hypertension than white subjects with OSA. Black females with OSA are significantly younger than white females at the time of diagnosis (P =.005). Black males with OSA have significantly lower oxygen saturations than white males (P =.025).


CONCLUSIONS
Black males who present to the otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon for evaluation of sleep-disordered breathing may be at increased risk of severe OSA.
Meetze
Keith
K
Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, U.S.A.
Gillespie
M Boyd
MB
Lee
Fu-Shing
FS
D044383:Black People; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People