[Differences in clinical and polysomnographic variables between male and female patients with sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare the clinical, anthropometric, and polysomnographic characteristics of a broad group of patients with sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome according to sex.


METHODS
The study, conducted in 6 Spanish university hospitals, included consecutive patients attended from 2003 through 2005 with an apnea-hypopnea index greater than 5. Groups were formed according to sex and then stratified into age subgroups of younger (< or = 45 years) and older patients (> 45 years) for further comparison.


RESULTS
The study included 2464 men and 424 women. Women were older (mean [SD] age, 56 [12] years vs 51 [12] years), weighed more (body mass index, 31 [6] kg/m(2) vs 30 [5] kg/m2), and had a larger hip circumference (119 [15] cm vs 111 [12] cm) and smaller neck circumference (38 [3] cm vs 42 [9] cm) than men (P< .001 in all cases). The degree of daytime sleepiness (Epworth scale) and the apnea-hypopnea index were similar in both groups, although women had a longer sleep latency (23 [28] minutes vs 27 [32] minutes; P< .004) and a higher mean oxygen saturation (92% [4%] vs 91% [5%]) and minimum oxygen saturation (78% [11%] vs 75% [12%]; P< .0001) than men. On stratification by age, only weight differences between men and women were observed in the younger group whereas the older group also showed differences in oxygen saturation during sleep.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with sleep apnea-hypopnea are more overweight than men and tend to seek medical attention at an older age. The clinical and polysomnographic variables were generally similar for men and womenthe only differences were that sleep latency was longer and hypoxemia during sleep was more accentuated in women.
Roure
Núria
N
Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario Arnau de Vilanova, IRBLLEIDA, Lleida, España.
Mediano
Olga
O
Durán-Cantolla
Joaquín
J
García Río
Francisco
F
de la Peña
Mónica
M
Capote
Francisco
F
Terán
Joaquín
J
Masa
Juan Fernando
JF
Gozal
David
D
Barbé
Ferran
F
D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*