Clinical Characteristics of REM-Dependent Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Korean Adults.
- Author:
Hye Jin MOON
1
;
Sang Hun LIM
;
Do Hyung KIM
;
Dong Eun KIM
;
Sang Hee HWANG
;
Yong Won CHO
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: REM-dependent OSA; REM-related OSA; REM-dependent sleep apnea; REM sleep; Obstructive sleep apnea; Polysomnography
- MeSH: Adult*; Anxiety; Depression; Female; Humans; Polysomnography; Quality of Life; Respiration; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive*; Sleep Stages; Sleep, REM; Supine Position
- From:Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 2016;34(2):124-129
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
- Abstract: BACKGROUND: Rapid-eye-movement-sleep-dependent obstructive sleep apnea (REM-OSA) is a sleep breathing abnormality in which apneas/hypopneas occur mainly during REM sleep periods. However, the clinical significance of REM-OSA compared to sleep-stage-non-dependent OSA (SND-OSA) has been controversial. This study evaluated differences in the clinical features, polysomnography (PSG) characteristics, and subjective symptoms between REM-OSA and SND-OSA. METHODS: In total, 136 consecutive patients with mild-to-moderate OSA were enrolled. REM-OSA was defined as a rapid eye movement (REM):non-REM apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ratio of >2 and a total duration of REM sleep exceeding 30 minutes. We compared the demographic, clinical, and PSG characteristics, and subject symptoms between REM-OSA and SND-OSA. RESULTS: The REM-OSA group comprised 45 (33%) of the 136 subjects. The mean age and total AHI did not differ between the groups, but there was a significant female predominance (35.6% vs. 16.5%) in the REM-OSA group. In terms of PSG parameters, subjects with REM-OSA showed a lower percentage of light sleep and a lower AHI in a supine position despite spending more sleep time in that position. Subjective sleep complaints, depression, anxiety, and health-related quality of life did not differ between the two study groups. CONCLUSIONS: The female predominance and sleep architecture differed between REM-OSA and SND-OSA in this study. The AHI in subjects with SND-OSA was dependent on sleep position rather than sleep stage. Further study is needed to elucidate the pathomechanism and clinical significance of REM-OSA.
