COPD Prevalence in Patients Diagnosed With Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS)

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of COPD in patients with OSAHS treated in a specific unit of sleep-disordered breathing. METHOD(S): Prospective and descriptive study of patients older than 40 years old, with suspicion of sleep apnea syndrome, collected consecutively over a year. We excluded patients with previous diagnosis of chronic respiratory disease other than COPD. All patients underwent standardized clinical questionnaires, quality of life questionnaires, post-bronchodilator spirometry and polysomnography or cardiorespiratory polygraphy. Diagnosis of COPD was established when the FEV1/FVC ratio was lower than 0.7 and SAHS in the presence of an AHI> 5. RESULT(S): Of 720 patients seen in our unit, 470 met the criteria and have been included in the analysis, 315 men, 144 women, age average 59 years old (+ / -11). Tobacco consumption: 69%. AHI average was 35.2 (+ / -24). 93% of patients had an AHI> or equal to 5, and of those, 25% had an AHI between 5-19. 35.3% between 20-39 and 37.6% were higher or equal to 40. The observed prevalence of COPD in patients with OSAHS was 15.6%. When stratified in groups and including patients with AHI <5, COPD prevalence in OSAHS is 20% for AHI less than 5, 17% for AHI 5-19, 15%for AHI 20-39 and 16% for AHI higher than 40. There were no differences between groups in prevalence of COPD, or age or tobacco consumption between patients with and without OSA. CONCLUSION(S): In our study, we found a high prevalence of COPD among patients with OSAHS. This fact could be related to the high prevalence of smoking in these patients. We have not observed any relation with the degree of severity of the syndrome, so we can't establish that there is an association between the two diseases.