PREVALENCE OF OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA IN CASES OF METABOLIC SYNDROME: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Objectives: The study aimed to find out the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the department of respiratory medicine of a tertiary care medical institute. Eighty patients infected with MS diagnosed on the basis of national cholesterol education program adult treatment panel III criteria were included in this study on the basis of predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Demographic details such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status of all the patients were noted. A thorough general and clinical examination was conducted, including the assessment of vital signs. Polysomnography was done in all cases and the diagnosis of OSA was based on polysomnography results. SSPS 21.0 was used for statistical analysis and p<0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: Out of 80 patients, there were 58 (72.50%) males and 22 (27.50%) females with a M: F ratio of 1: 0.37. The overall mean age of the studied cases was found to be 44.60±12.92. Mild (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] 5–14), moderate (AHI=15–30), and severe OSA (AHI >30) was seen in 33 (41.25%), 17 (21.25%) and 9 (11.25%) patients, respectively. Overall prevalence of OSA in cases of MS was found to be 73.75% as the severity of OSA increased there was decreased in mean sleep time and the difference was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). The most common presenting complaint was loud snoring, observed in 55 patients (93.22%). This was followed by daytime sleepiness in 47 patients (79.66%), waking up tired in 37 patients (62.71%), and disturbed sleep in 36 patients (61.02%). Conclusion: The prevalence of OSA is notably high among individuals with MS. Consequently, routine assessment for OSA should be an integral component of the management strategy for patients with MS.