European journal of clinical investigation
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Dec 2003
Gender, age and menopause effects on the prevalence and the characteristics of obstructive sleep apnea in obesity.
In the 1970s and 80s it was believed that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was primarily a disease of men. The present study was addressed to evaluate the effect of gender and menopause on the prevalence and the characteristics of OSA and on anthropometric, clinical, respiratory and polysomnographic data in a population of obese individuals. ⋯ Our study demonstrates that (i) the male dominance regarding the prevalence and the severity of OSA disappears in men older than 55 years, and (ii) menopause seems to play a pivotal role in modulating both the presence and the degree of sleep disorder.