Symptoms during sleep among patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a frequent sleep-related breathing disorder being associated with cardiovascular, metabolic and neurobehavioral consequences. Most patients with OSAS are untreated because they are not timely diagnosed. Aim: to determine the association of sleep symptoms and body mass index in patients with OSAS diagnosed by polysomnography. Material and Methods: We studied 144 patients aged 47 +/- 14 years (75% males) in whom a polysomnography was done. These patients answered a sleep symptom questionnaire and the Epworth sleepiness scale. Their weight and body mass index was also recorded. Results: Snoring and the presence of pauses during breathing were the symptoms with the higher sensitivity to predict the presence of OSAS. Body mass index was significantly higher among patients with OSAS. No differences in the Epworth scale were observed between patients with and without OSAS. Conclusions: Snoring and apneas while sleeping are symptoms that should lead to the suspicion of the presence of OSAS.