What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) (n=36). Intervention: Anthropometric measurements (abdominal circumference). Primary outcome: Correlation between abdominal circumference and hypoxic burden (r = 0.662, p=0.001).

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the relationship between various body measurements, hypoxic burden, and oxygen desaturation index in obstructive sleep apnea.

May 10, 2026

0545 From Waist to Calf: Mapping the Anthropometric Anatomy of Hypoxic Burden

Key Result

Abdominal circumference showed a strong positive correlation with hypoxic burden (r=0.662; p=0.001), indicating central adiposity better reflects hypoxemia severity than BMI in OSA.

Key Points

To evaluate the relationship between various body measurements, hypoxic burden, and oxygen desaturation index in obstructive sleep apnea.
Cross-sectional analysis of 36 patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
Measurements included body mass index, oxygen desaturation index, cervical circumference, abdominal circumference, and calf circumference.
Hypoxic burden calculated as the area under the curve of desaturations greater than 3%.
Abdominal circumference shows a strong positive correlation with hypoxic burden (r = 0.662; p = 0.001) and oxygen desaturation index (r = 0.799; p = 0.000).
The mean hypoxic burden significantly differs based on abdominal circumference (p = 0.02).
Abdominal measures provide better reflection of hypoxemia severity than body mass index.

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=36)

Structured PICO

Do anthropometric measurements correlate with hypoxic burden and oxygen desaturation index in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Population

36 patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), 58.1% women, mean age 53.95 ± 11.86 years.

Outcome

Relationship between anthropometric measurements (BMI, cervical circumference, abdominal circumference, calf circumference), hypoxic burden (HB), and oxygen desaturation index (ODI)surrogate

Abdominal circumference shows a strong positive correlation with hypoxic burden in OSA patients, suggesting central adiposity is a better indicator of hypoxemia severity than BMI.

Main Result

Effect estimate: r = 0.662

p-value: p=0.001

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Hypoxic burden (HB) integrates the depth, duration, and frequency of oxygen desaturations and may reflect cardiometabolic risk in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Objective: To evaluate the relationship between anthropometric measurements, HB, and the oxygen desaturation index (ODI) in OSA. Methods A cross-sectional analysis was performed in 36 patients, 58.1% women, mean age 53.95 + 11.86 years. Measurements included Body Mass Index (BMI), ODI, cervical circumference (CC), abdominal circumference (AC), calf circumference (CaC), and HB, calculated as the area under the curve of desaturations 3%. Results The sample presented a mean and standard deviation for BMI of 30.77 + 8.06, for cervical circumference of 38.51 + 4.38, for abdominal circumference of 103.59 + 13.56, for ODI of 20.65 + 41.29, and for hypoxic burden of 51.30 (ranging from 14.93 to 88.15). The sleep ODI percentile was equivalent to 6.9 (ranging from 1.75 to 18.08). A positive correlation was observed between: AC and HB (r = 0.662; p = 0.001), AC and sleep ODI (r = 0.799; p = 0.000), AC and BMI (r = 0.729; p = 0.000); CC and AC (r = 0.384; p = 0.025); and AC and CC (r = 0.510; p = 0.002). The mean of the variables was evaluated according to the abdominal circumference measurement (AC greater than 130 cm vs AC less than 130 cm, respectively), showing: Age (54.41 + 10.46 vs 51.00 + 20.14; p = 0.729), BMI: (30.17 + 7.56 vs 35.25 + 11.53; p = 0.449), CC (37.4 + 3.39 vs 44.67 + 9.29; p = 0.336), CaC (37.94 + 8.59 vs 41.00 + 4.24; p = 0.480), AC (101.78 + 11.76 vs 132.50 + 2.12; p = 0.000), and ODI (12.85 + 13.03 vs 98.65 + 138.52; p = 0.537). Sleep ODI: (11.59 + 14.09 vs 102.85 + 145.17; p = 0.537), HB (58.26 + 45.90 vs 441.15 + 618.22; p = 0.02). Conclusion AC showed the strongest association with HB, indicating central adiposity better reflects hypoxemia severity than BMI. The data suggest abdominal measures may support risk assessment in OSA. Support (if any)

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