Neurocognitive and Psychosocial Outcomes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Hong Kong Chinese: Similar to or Different from Western Populations?

Neurocognitive and Psychosocial Outcomes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Hong Kong Chinese: Similar to or Different from Western Populations?

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has long been associated with daytime consequences. However, systematic and comprehensive studies on the neuropsychological functioning among Chinese patients with OSA were lacking. This study aimed to investigate the functioning of individuals with OSA using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, experimental tasks based on a well-specified paradigm of working memory (WM), and questionnaires measuring a wide spectrum of psychosocial functioning, thereby establishing a neurocognitive and psychosocial profile of Hong Kong Chinese with OSA, in comparison to western populations. Methods: Twenty-five patients with moderate to severe OSA and 30 healthy controls were recruited from the Sleep Disorders Centre of Queen Mary Hospital and the community, respectively. Participants were tested on attention and working memory, verbal and visual learning and recall, executive functions, and processing speed, and completed self-reported measures on daytime sleepiness, sleep quality, mood, functional outcomes, and quality of life.