The Prevalence of OSA Among an Adult Population With Down Syndrome Referred to a Medical Clinic

Am J Intellect Dev Disabil. 2019 Jan;124(1):4-10. doi: 10.1352/1944-7558-124.1.4.

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder affecting approximately 16% of adults (24% of men and 9% of women), and, if untreated, it can cause significant complications ( Young, 2009 ). This study evaluates 56 adult patients with Down syndrome and analyzed retrospective data to determine the: (1) prevalence of OSA, (2) severity of OSA, and (3) association between body mass index (BMI) and OSA. Of those participants that had polysomnography (PSG) testing available, 82.1% were diagnosed with OSA, divided by severity into mild (45.7%), moderate (15.2%), and severe (39.1%) levels. Because of the high prevalence of OSA among our study population, we recommend that all adults with DS be screened for OSA with PSG.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Body Mass Index
  • Down Syndrome / complications*
  • Down Syndrome / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polysomnography
  • Prevalence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / complications*
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / epidemiology*
  • Young Adult