Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common condition in middle-aged persons worldwide. The major factor risk of this disease is obesity.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at King Abdul-Aziz Specialist Hospital. A STOP-BANG questionnaire formed of eight questions was used to assess the risk of OSA among type 2 diabetic patients. The scoring scale is categorized into three groups: low (0 - 2), intermediate (3 - 4) and high (5 - 8), respectively. By this study, we aimed to assess the risk of OSA among diabetes patients in Taif city.
Results: Of the patients, 57.9% had mild risk, 26.9% had moderate risk and 15.2% had severe risk for OSA. There was a moderate positive relationship between age and STOP-BANG score. There was no significant correlation between the score and last fasting blood sugar and HbA1c's level, with P values of 0.554 and 0.335, respectively. There was a significant relationship between the type of treatment and the risk of developing OSA (P < 0.001). Percentage of patients with severe risk was significantly higher in those taking both insulin and oral drugs than those taking insulin alone or oral drugs alone.
Conclusions: The OSA risk and prevalence is much higher in diabetics than in general population, with the risk increasing with age. The risk is higher in diabetic patients who are receiving both oral hypoglycemic drugs and insulin. The screening of OSA among diabetic patients is necessary to identify those at severe risk and manage this problem, which may remain undiagnosed in many patients.
Keywords: Diabetes; Obstructive sleep apnea; Saudi Arabia.