Association between body roundness index and obstructive sleep apnea among US adults: data from the 2005-2008 and 2015-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

OSA is defined as the repeated occurrence of apnea or hypopnea during sleep caused by upper airway collapse. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by a high apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and persistent daytime sleepiness. Body roundness index (BRI), calculated using waist circumference and height, is a measure of obesity. BRI demonstrates a stronger correlation with body fat compared to BMI. However, no studies have thus far reported on the association between BRI and OSA. The data for this study were sourced from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database (2005-2008 and 2015-2018). BRI was computed as 364.2-365.5 * (1 - [WC(m)/2π]²/[0.5 * height(m)]²)^½. Statistical methods for data analysis included multivariable logistic regression, trend tests, restricted cubic spline (RCS) plots, subgroup analysis, and interaction tests, with a significance level of p < 0.05. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between BRI and OSA in 8106 American adults. After adjusting for all considered covariates, BRI was found to be positively associated with the risk of OSA, with each 1-unit increase in BRI raising the risk of OSA by 167% (95% CI [2.42, 2.95], p < 0.001). The positive association between BRI and OSA was consistent across all subgroups (p < 0.001). The restricted cubic spline (RCS) plot further confirmed the positive correlation between BRI and OSA prevalence (p value < 0.0001, p nonlinear < 0.0001). The results of this study demonstrate a positive correlation between BRI and OSA, suggesting that BRI could be utilized as a predictive factor for OSA. BRI could assist clinicians in the diagnosis of OSA in patients.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41105-024-00566-5.