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Prevalence and Severity of Sleep Apnea in a Group of Morbidly Obese Patients

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Background

Obesity is the most important risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea. It is estimated that 70% of sleep apnea patients are obese. In the morbidly obese, the prevalence may reach 80% in men and 50% in women. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and severity of sleep apnea in a group of morbidly obese patients, leading to bariatric surgery.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study developed in Bahia, northeastern Brazil. 108 patients (78 women and 30 men) from the Obesity Treatment and Surgery Center - “Núcleo de Tratamento e Cirurgia da Obesidade” underwent standard polysomnography. Patients with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5 events/hour were considered apneic.

Results

Mean ± SD for age and BMI were 37.1 ± 10.2 years and 45.2 ± 5.4 kg/m2, respectively. The calculated AHI ranged widely from 2.5 to 128.9 events/hour. Sleep apnea was detected in 93.6% of the sample, wherein 35.2% had mild, 30.6% moderate and 27.8% severe apnea. Oxyhemoglobin desaturation was directly related to the AHI and was more severe in men.

Conclusion

There was a high frequency of sleep apnea in this group of morbidly obese patients, for whom it was very important to request polysomnography, thus enabling therapeutic management and prognostication.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Professor, Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Internal Medicine, Bahia, Brazil

    Carla Daltro

  2. Doctor of Cardio Pulmonary Sleep Laboratory, Bahia, Brazil

    Paloma Baiardi Gregorio

  3. Surgeon of Obesity Treatment and Surgery Center, Bahia, Brazil

    Erivaldo Alves

  4. Medical Student at Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, Bahia, Brazil

    Maurício Abreu, Daniel Bomfim & Maria Helena Chicourel

  5. Professor, Bahia, Federal University of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Bahia, Brazil

    Leila Araújo & Helma P. Cotrim

  6. Rua Clarival do Prado Valladares, 264/803, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, CEP: 41.820-700

    Carla Daltro

Authors
  1. Carla Daltro
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  2. Paloma Baiardi Gregorio
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  3. Erivaldo Alves
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  4. Maurício Abreu
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  5. Daniel Bomfim
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  6. Maria Helena Chicourel
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  7. Leila Araújo
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  8. Helma P. Cotrim
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Correspondence to Carla Daltro.

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Daltro, C., Gregorio, P.B., Alves, E. et al. Prevalence and Severity of Sleep Apnea in a Group of Morbidly Obese Patients. OBES SURG 17, 809–814 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-007-9147-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-007-9147-6

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