The challenge of identifying family medicine patients with obstructive sleep apnea: addressing the question of gender inequality.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the sleep characteristics, metabolic syndrome disease and likelihood of obstructive sleep apnea in a sample of older, family medicine patients previously unsuspected for sleep apnea.

Methods: A total of 295 participants, minimum age 45, 58.7% women, were recruited from two family medicine clinics. None previously had been referred for sleep apnea testing. All participants completed a sleep symptom questionnaire and were offered an overnight polysomnography study, regardless of questionnaire results. 171 followed through with the sleep laboratory component of the study. Health data regarding metabolic syndrome disease (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and obesity) were gathered by chart review.

Results: Overall, more women than men enrolled in the study and pursued laboratory testing. Of those who underwent polysomnography testing, 75% of the women and 85% of the men were diagnosed with sleep apnea based on an apnea/hypopnea index of 10 or greater. Women and men had similar polysomnography indices, the majority being in the moderate to severe ranges. In those with OSA diagnosis, gender differences in sleep symptom severity were not significant.

Conclusions: We conclude that greater gender equality in sleep apnea rates can be achieved in family practice if sleep apnea assessments are widely offered to older patients.