Prevalence of Comorbidities in Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Association with Disease Severity: A Descriptive Study

Background and objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is being progressively encountered in clinical practice due to the mounting epidemic of obesity, owing to an upsurge in sedentary habits in rural and urban populations. Sleep-related disorders are a common cause of morbidity and can lead to wide range of potentially fatal health problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, heart attacks, and depression. The current study was steered with the objective to estimate the prevalence of comorbidities in patients with OSA and to evaluate the association between comorbidities and severity of OSA. Materials and methods: Sixty patients with OSA were included in the current study, and the prevalence of comorbidities and their association with the severity of OSA were determined. Results: Out of 60 patients with OSA, 62% were males and 38% were females, and their mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 40.11 +/- 25.78. Mild OSA was present in 15% of patients, moderate and severe OSA in 31.7 and 53.3%, respectively. Males had higher prevalence of severe OSA than females. The most prevalent comorbidities were obesity, which was seen in 70%, followed by hypertension in 63.3%, and depression in 56.7% of patients. Although these were more predominant in patients with severe OSA, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The present study concluded OSA as significant risk factor for the emergence of comorbidities. Hence, patients with symptoms suggestive of sleep apnea should be assessed and treated early because lack of awareness of the disease and its associated comorbidities may result in increased mortality.