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Clinical phenotype of obstructive sleep apnea in older adults: a hospital-based retrospective study in China

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Abstract

Background

The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in older people (aged over 65 years) is high. However, OSA in older populations has not received sufficient attention. This study examined the clinical phenotypic characteristics of older patients with newly diagnosed OSA.

Methods

A total of 110 older patients (≥ 65 years) and 220 younger patients (< 65 years), matched by gender, body mass index (BMI), and apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), were enrolled in this retrospective study. Clinical manifestations, comorbidities, and polysomnographic results were compared between the two groups, and correlations between age ≥ 65 years and OSA comorbidities were explored.

Results

Nocturia was more common in older patients with OSA, as with lower sleep efficiency, longer wake after sleep onset, increased stage N1 sleep, and decreased stage N3 sleep and average SpO2. The proportions of older OSA patients who had comorbid hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and ischemic stroke were significantly higher than those of younger patients. The incidence of tonsillar enlargement and pharyngeal narrowing was lower in older patients. Age ≥ 65 years was an independent risk factor for patients with OSA to have hypertension (OR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.11–3.21), CAD (OR: 4.83, 95% CI: 2.29–10.21), and ischemic stroke (OR: 2.92, 95% CI: 1.02 to 8.38).

Conclusions

The presence of OSA in older adults was associated with significant abnormalities of sleep architecture, aggravated nocturnal hypoxia and increased risks of hypertension, CAD, and stroke, which can be distinguished as a unique clinical phenotype.

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Availability of data and materials

The data used and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Jinjing Tu, Dr. Di Gui, Dr. Qing Fang, Dr. Yuanyuan Xu, and Dr. Liping Qiu for their help in performing PSG. We also thank Director Yaodong Tang for his great support to the whole study.

Funding

This research was funded by the Science and Technology Program for Public Welfare of Ningbo, China (grant number 2021S175).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China

    Chuan Shao, Hailong Wang, Yibing He & Biyun Yu

  2. Department of Geriatric Medicine, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China

    Haiying Zhao

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  1. Chuan Shao
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Contributions

Chuan Shao and Haiying Zhao designed the study and drafted the main manuscript. Hailong Wang, Yibing He, and Biyun Yu assisted in the data collection and analyzed the clinical data. Chuan Shao and Haiying Zhao performed critical revisions for important intellectual content. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chuan Shao.

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Ethics approval and Consent to participate

The research was approved by the Ethics Committee of Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University (Approval Number: KY2021PJ241). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants or their legal guardians.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Shao, C., Wang, H., He, Y. et al. Clinical phenotype of obstructive sleep apnea in older adults: a hospital-based retrospective study in China. Ir J Med Sci 192, 2305–2312 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-023-03290-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-023-03290-0

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