help button home button
AJRCCM
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by O'CONNOR, C.
Right arrow Articles by HANLY, P. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by O'CONNOR, C.
Right arrow Articles by HANLY, P. J.

Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Volume 161, Number 5, May 2000, 1465-1472

Gender Differences in the Polysomnographic Features of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

CHRIS O'CONNOR, KRISTINE S. THORNLEY, and PATRICK J. HANLY

Sleep Laboratory, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

We examined the influence of gender on the polysomnographic features of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a retrospective study of 830 patients with OSA diagnosed by overnight polysomnography (PSG). The severity of OSA was determined from the apnea- hypopnea index (AHI) for total sleep time (AHITST), and was classified as mild (5 to 25 events/h), moderate (26 to 50 events/h), and severe (> 50/events/h). Differences in OSA during different stages of sleep were assessed by comparing the AHI during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) (AHINREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) (AHIREM) sleep and calculating the "REM difference" (AHIREM - AHINREM). Additionally, each overnight polysomnographic study was classified as showing one of three mutually exclusive types of OSA: (1) mild OSA, which occurred predominantly during REM sleep (REM OSA); (2) OSA of any severity, which occurred predominantly in the supine position (S OSA); or (3) OSA without a predominance in a single sleep stage or body position (A OSA). The mean AHITST for men was significantly higher than that for women (31.8 ± 1.0 versus 20.2 ± 1.5 events/h, p < 0.001). The male-to-female ratio was 3.2:1 for all OSA patients, and increased from 2.2:1 for patients with mild OSA to 7.9:1 for those with severe OSA. Women had a lower AHINREM than did men (14.6 ± 1.6 versus 29.6 ± 1.1 events/h, p < 0.001), but had a similar AHIREM (42.7 ± 1.6 versus 39.9 ± 1.2 events/h). Women had a significantly higher REM difference than did men (28.1 ± 1.5 versus 10.3 ± 1.1 events/h, p < 0.01). REM OSA occurred in 62% of women and 24% of men with OSA. S OSA occurred almost exclusively in men. We conclude that: (1) OSA is less severe in women because of milder OSA during NREM sleep; (2) women have a greater clustering of respiratory events during REM sleep than do men; (3) REM OSA is disproportionately more common in women than in men; and (4 ) S OSA is disproportionately more common in men than in women. These findings may reflect differences between the sexes in upper airway function during sleep in patients with OSA.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Physiol.Home page
G. E. Foster, J. V. Brugniaux, V. Pialoux, C. T. C. Duggan, P. J. Hanly, S. B. Ahmed, and M. J. Poulin
Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular responses to acute hypoxia following exposure to intermittent hypoxia in healthy humans
J. Physiol., July 1, 2009; 587(13): 3287 - 3299.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ChestHome page
D. J. Eckert, A. Malhotra, Y. L. Lo, D. P. White, and A. S. Jordan
The Influence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Gender on Genioglossus Activity During Rapid Eye Movement Sleep
Chest, April 1, 2009; 135(4): 957 - 964.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ChestHome page
K. Yukawa, Y. Inoue, H. Yagyu, T. Hasegawa, Y. Komada, K. Namba, N. Nagai, S. Nemoto, E. Sano, M. Shibusawa, et al.
Gender Differences in the Clinical Characteristics Among Japanese Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Chest, February 1, 2009; 135(2): 337 - 343.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ChestHome page
B. B. Koo, S. R. Patel, K. Strohl, and V. Hoffstein
Rapid Eye Movement-Related Sleep-Disordered Breathing: Influence of Age and Gender
Chest, December 1, 2008; 134(6): 1156 - 1161.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc Am Thorac SocHome page
A. R. Schwartz, S. P. Patil, A. M. Laffan, V. Polotsky, H. Schneider, and P. L. Smith
Obesity and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Pathogenic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches
Proceedings of the ATS, February 15, 2008; 5(2): 185 - 192.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ChestHome page
S. P. Patil, H. Schneider, A. R. Schwartz, and P. L. Smith
Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Pathophysiology and Diagnosis
Chest, July 1, 2007; 132(1): 325 - 337.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Exp PhysiolHome page
G. E. Foster, M. J. Poulin, and P. J. Hanly
Sleep Apnoea & Hypertension: Physiological bases for a causal relation: Intermittent hypoxia and vascular function: implications for obstructive sleep apnoea
Exp Physiol, January 1, 2007; 92(1): 51 - 65.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ChestHome page
J. Haba-Rubio, J.-P. Janssens, T. Rochat, and E. Sforza
Rapid Eye Movement-Related Disordered Breathing: Clinical and Polysomnographic Features
Chest, November 1, 2005; 128(5): 3350 - 3357.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
M. Younes
Role of Arousals in the Pathogenesis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., March 1, 2004; 169(5): 623 - 633.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ChestHome page
M. S. M. Ip, B. Lam, L. C. H. Tang, I. J. Lauder, T. Y. Ip, and W. K. Lam
A Community Study of Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Middle-Aged Chinese Women in Hong Kong: Prevalence and Gender Differences
Chest, January 1, 2004; 125(1): 127 - 134.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
M. Younes
Contributions of Upper Airway Mechanics and Control Mechanisms to Severity of Obstructive Apnea
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., September 15, 2003; 168(6): 645 - 658.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Respir JHome page
S. Marti, G. Sampol, X. Munoz, F. Torres, A. Roca, P. Lloberes, T. Sagales, P. Quesada, and F. Morell
Mortality in severe sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome patients: impact of treatment
Eur. Respir. J., December 1, 2002; 20(6): 1511 - 1518.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Respir JHome page
T. Saaresranta, P. Polo-Kantola, E. Rauhala, and O. Polo
Medroxyprogesterone in postmenopausal females with partial upper airway obstruction during sleep
Eur. Respir. J., December 1, 2001; 18(6): 989 - 995.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ChestHome page
N. A. Collop
Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus : Lessons To Be Learned From the Differences Between the Sexes
Chest, November 1, 2001; 120(5): 1432 - 1433.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
M. J. TOBIN
Sleep-disordered Breathing, Control of Breathing, Respiratory Muscles, Pulmonary Function Testing, Nitric Oxide, and Bronchoscopy in AJRCCM 2000
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., October 15, 2001; 164(8): 1362 - 1375.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
I. KATO, J. GROSWASSER, P. FRANCO, S. SCAILLET, I. KELMANSON, H. TOGARI, and A. KAHN
Developmental Characteristics of Apnea in Infants Who Succumb to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., October 15, 2001; 164(8): 1464 - 1469.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ChestHome page
D. Loube
Sleep Apnea : A Global Perspective
Chest, January 1, 2001; 119(1): 4 - 5.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Proc. Am. Thorac. Soc. Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol.
Copyright © 2000 American Thoracic Society 		  CCM abstracts