To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Asians Have Higher Incidence Of Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Than Caucasians URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/3FD02.htm Doctor's Guide October 27, 1997
NEW ORLEANS, LA. -- October 27, 1997 -- Although sleep apnea is generally associated with overweight men, a Stanford study, released today at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, finds Asians have a higher incidence of severe obstructive sleep apnea than Caucasians. Sleep apnea is a serious potentially life-threatening condition affecting as many as 18 million Americans. Four percent of middle-aged men and two percent of middle-aged women have sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea, the more common and severe form of the disease, occurs when air cannot flow into or out of the person's mouth or nose although efforts to breath continue. Sleep apnea can also be characterized by choking sensations. It contributes to excessive daytime sleepiness which has been established as a risk factor for motor vehicle accidents. Early recognition and treatment are also important because the condition may be associated with irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. Dr. Kian Chun Ong and colleagues at Stanford University's Sleep Disorders Clinic compared 105 Asian patients diagnosed with sleep-disordered breathing to 99 similarly diagnosed Caucasians. The patients were matched for age, gender and body mass index. Outcome measurements included questionnaire-based symptom scores, respiratory disturbance index and minimum oxygen saturation during sleep. The study found there was a significantly greater number of Asians who had severe obstructive sleep apnea. Analyses showed race was associated with this difference independent of age, sex or body mass index and minimum oxygen saturation during sleep. The estimated odds ratio for Asians having severe obstructive sleep apnea was two-and-one-half times greater than Caucasians. Investigators expressed concern obstructive sleep apnea may be underdiagnosed in Asians and where the condition has been established, the severity may be underestimated. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.