Severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in 382 Han and Uyghur patients with sleep disorders

Objective: Race and ethnicity may impact the prevalence and severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in adults and children. In this study, we aim to investigate the ethnologic influence on OSA severity between Han and Uyghur OSA patients in Xinjiang, China.Methods: We enrolled total of 382 (205 Han and 177 Uyghur) patients diagnosed with OSA with apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) or respiratory disturbance index (RDI) [Formula: see text] 5. During admission, the severity of OSA was evaluated by polysomnography (PSG).Results: From demographic characteristics of enrolled patients, we found that there was no significant difference in sex, age, BMI, and neck circumference between two study populations. Uyghur OSA patients had longer sleep latency, longer REM sleep and N3 stage, but shorter N1 phase than Han OSA patients. AHI and apnea RDI level, but not hypopnea RDI, were evidently higher in Han patients compared with Uyghur patients. There was no distinctive difference between two ethnic populations in average and minimum peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SaO2) level.Conclusion: Better understanding of impact factors encompassing ethnicity may help improve OSA diagnosis accuracy, management and treatment for patients in Xinjiang.