title: Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in the general population: A systematic review.
abstract: With this systematic review we aimed to determine the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults in the general population and how it varied between population sub-groups. Twenty-four studies out of 3807 found by systematically searching PubMed and Embase databases were included in this review. Substantial methodological heterogeneity in population prevalence studies has caused a wide variation in the reported prevalence, which, in general, is high. At ≥5 events/h apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), the overall population prevalence ranged from 9% to 38% and was higher in men. It increased with increasing age and, in some elderly groups, was as high as 90% in men and 78% in women. At ≥15 events/h AHI, the prevalence in the general adult population ranged from 6% to 17%, being as high as 49% in the advanced ages. OSA prevalence was also greater in obese men and women. This systematic review of the overall body of evidence confirms that advancing age, male sex, and higher body-mass index increase OSA prevalence. The need to a) consider OSA as having a continuum in the general population and b) generate consensus on methodology and diagnostic threshold to define OSA so that the prevalence of OSA can be validly compared across regions and countries, and within age-/sex-specific subgroups, is highlighted.
authors: School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Community Medicine, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka. Electronic address: chamaravs@sjp.ac.lk.
authors: Chamara V
authors: CV
authors: Senaratna
authors: School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; The Institute for Breathing & Sleep, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: j.perret@student.unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Jennifer L
authors: JL
authors: Perret
authors: School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: clodge@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Caroline J
authors: CJ
authors: Lodge
authors: School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: lowea@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Adrian J
authors: AJ
authors: Lowe
authors: School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: brittany.campbell@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Brittany E
authors: BE
authors: Campbell
authors: School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: mcmat@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Melanie C
authors: MC
authors: Matheson
authors: Department of Lung and Sleep Medicine, Monash Health, Clayton, Australia; School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia. Electronic address: garun.hamilton@monashhealth.org.
authors: Garun S
authors: GS
authors: Hamilton
authors: School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: s.dharmage@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Shyamali C
authors: SC
authors: Dharmage
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: Age; Body-mass index; Female; General population; Male; Obesity; Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); Prevalence; Sex; Trends