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Open Access 01-12-2022 | Sleep Apnea | Research

Prevalence, characteristics, and respiratory arousal threshold of positional obstructive sleep apnea in China: a large scale study from Shanghai Sleep Health Study cohort

Authors: Weijun Huang, Xiaoting Wang, Chong Xu, Huajun Xu, Huaming Zhu, Suru Liu, Jianyin Zou, Jian Guan, Hongliang Yi, Shankai Yin

Published in: Respiratory Research | Issue 1/2022

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the prevalence, characteristics, and respiratory arousal threshold (ArTH) of Chinese patients with positional obstructive sleep apnea (POSA) according to the Cartwright Classification (CC) and Amsterdam Positional Obstructive Sleep Apnea Classification (APOC).

Methods

A large-scale cross-sectional study was conducted in our sleep center from 2007 to 2018 to analyze the clinical and polysomnography (PSG) data of Chinese POSA patients. Low ArTH was defined based on PSG indices.

Results

Of 5,748 OSA patients, 36.80% met the CC criteria, and 42.88% the APOC criteria, for POSA. The prevalence of POSA was significantly higher in women than men (40.21% and 46.52% vs. 36.13% and 42.18% for CC and APOC, respectively). Chinese POSA patients had a lower apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and lower oxygen desaturation index, shorter duration of oxygen saturation (SaO₂) < 90%, and a higher mean SaO₂ and higher lowest SaO₂ value compared to subjects with non-positional OSA (NPOSA). More than 40% of the POSA patients had a low ArTH; the proportion was extremely high in the supine-isolated-POSA (si-POSA) group and APOC I group. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, higher mean SaO₂ and lower AHI during sleep were positive predictors of POSA.

Conclusions

According to the CC and APOC criteria, more than 1/3 of our Chinese subjects with OSA had POSA. Chinese POSA patients had less severe OSA and nocturnal hypoxia. Compared to NPOSA patients, significantly more patients with POSA had a low ArTH. A low ArTH may be an important endotype in the pathogenesis of POSA, especially in patients with si-POSA and APOC I. Further studies are necessary to develop personalized management strategies for POSA patients.

Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry; URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn; No. ChiCTR1900025714 (retrospectively registered).

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Title: Prevalence, characteristics, and respiratory arousal threshold of positional obstructive sleep apnea in China: a large scale study from Shanghai Sleep Health Study cohort
Authors: Weijun Huang
Xiaoting Wang
Chong Xu
Huajun Xu
Huaming Zhu
Suru Liu
Jianyin Zou
Jian Guan
Hongliang Yi
Shankai Yin
Publication date: 01-12-2022
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Sleep Apnea
Polysomnography
Published in: Respiratory Research / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1465-993X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12931-022-02141-3

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