Preliminary analysis of 437 adults undergoing sleep studies showed that women with OSA report a higher symptom burden, including insomnia and fatigue, and different comorbidities compared to men.
Observational (n=437)
Yes
Does a gender-specific OSA screening questionnaire improve the identification of women at risk for obstructive sleep apnea?
Women with OSA present with a distinct symptom burden and comorbidity profile compared to men, highlighting the need for gender-specific screening tools.
Abstract Introduction Women with OSA are at high risk of being missed or misdiagnosed due to gender-specific differences in symptoms and disease presentation. Compared to men, women with OSA more often report fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and morning headaches. They commonly have milder OSA characterized by fewer respiratory events, less oxygen desaturation, and a higher prevalence of REM-predominant OSA. These variations reflect complex interactions among OSA pathophysiological traits, anatomical, hormonal, ventilatory, and cardiovascular factors, as well as changes across life stages such as pregnancy and menopause. Existing screening questionnaires used in clinical practice may lack sensitivity for detecting women with OSA. To address this gap, we aimed to develop and validate an OSA screening questionnaire to improve early identification and referral of women at risk. Methods Development followed a multi-step approach. Initially, we analyzed data from Resmed’s online sleep assessment linked with home sleep test (HST) results to identify symptoms most predictive of OSA amongst women. Second, a targeted literature review identified studies describing gender differences in language and symptom descriptors used by OSA patients. Third, we reviewed evidence on gender-specific comorbidities associated with OSA. Finally, consultation with expert sleep clinicians and researchers to enhance the clinical interpretability and patient usability. The resulting questionnaire is being prospectively tested among a clinical population of adults undergoing diagnostic sleep studies. To evaluate predictive validity in women, correlations and multivariable regression analyses are being conducted between questionnaire responses and AHI values obtained from HST. Results To date, data from n = 437 (39% women (34% post-menopausal); mean age: 48±14yrs; age range 18-86yrs) participants have been analyzed from Australia and the US. Preliminary descriptive statistics indicate that women with OSA report a higher symptom burden than males. Women more frequently described poor sleep quality, insomnia symptoms, sleep disturbances due to pain, and daytime fatigue/low energy. Males were more likely to report waking with a dry mouth, whereas women more often reported waking with headaches or jaw discomfort. Comorbidity patterns also differed: diabetes was most common among males, while anxiety/depression and mood disorders were most frequent among women. Conclusions Our preliminary findings suggest clear differences in symptoms burden and comorbidities between women and men in a group of newly diagnosed OSA patients. Further development of the screening questionnaire in a larger more geographically and ethnically diverse population will strengthen its clinical utility and offer healthcare providers a simple tool for screening OSA risk in women. This abstract is funded by: Resmed
Wimms et al. (Fri,) conducted a observational in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) (n=437). OSA screening questionnaire vs. Males was evaluated on Symptom burden and comorbidities. Preliminary analysis of 437 adults undergoing sleep studies showed that women with OSA report a higher symptom burden, including insomnia and fatigue, and different comorbidities compared to men.