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Asians Have Higher Incidence Of Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Than Caucasians 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. E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version