The Importance of Habitual Sleep Position in Obstructive Sleep Apnea among Asians

The Importance of Habitual Sleep Position in Obstructive Sleep Apnea among Asians

Introduction: Our prior investigation found positional sleep apnea accounting for approximately 70% of Asian obstructive sleep apnea patients. We hypothesized that the habitual side sleeping may indicate an obstructive sleep apnea deterring mechanism. Method: We retrospectively reviewed 542 polysomnographic studies from our sleep laboratory. We included adult patients with respiratory disturbance index ≥ 5 from baseline polysomnography. Habitual sleep position was obtained from the pretest questionnaire. Results: Forty-eight percent were noted to be habitual supinesleepers. Most habitual non-supine sleepers were habitual side sleepers with predominantly right-sided preference. Most habitual side sleepers when compared to habitual back sleepers were found to be more female, having higher body mass index, and reported more frequent snoring. We also found the differences in polysomnographic findings in which lower mean oxygen saturation and higher non-supine respiratory disturbance index were observed in habitual side sleepers as compared to habitual back sleepers. Only female sex was a significant predictor for being a habitual side sleeper. Total respiratory disturbance index, age>60, and wake after sleep onset >30 minutes appeared as risk factors for developing cardiovascular-related diseases in habitual side sleeping obstructive sleep apnea patients.