| Summary: | Aim: To evaluate the coincidence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and systemic diseases in elderly patients presenting to our sleep disorders center.
Patients and Methods: Ninety-seven patients with ages older than 65 years, who had at least one of snoring, witnessed apnea, and excessive daytime sleepiness symptoms, and whose systemic diseases were under evaluation, were included in the study. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to their apnea-hypopnea indexes (AHI) and body mass index (BMI) values. The association of BMI and the polysomnography parameters such as AHI, arousal index, lowest oxygen saturation and mean oxygen desaturation in patients with and without systemic illnesses ,were evaluated.
Results: Seventy-one (73.2%) of the patients comprised the group with systemic illnesses, and 26 (26.80%) patients comprised the group without systemic illnesses. AHI value was found to be higher in patients with systemic diseases compared to patients without systemic illnesses, and this was statistically significant (p<0.05). A statistically significant association was found between the presence of systemic diseases and OSAS and increased BMI (BMI>25) (p<0.05). A statistically significant association was not detected between the arousal index, lowest oxygen saturation, mean oxygen saturation, and presence of systemic illness. No difference in the rates of presence of systemic illnesses was found among male and female patients.
Conclusion: Patients in the geriatric age group with increased BMI and OSAS should be evaluated for the presence of systemic illnesses.
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