Clinical characteristics in octogenarian patients with sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of patients of 80 years old or older at the moment of the study, evaluated in a Sleep Disorders Unit (SDU). Methods: Transversal descriptive study in a 10 year period (2000-2010). All patients 80 years old or older at the moment of sleep study were included. SAHS was considered when AHI ≥ 10 and classified as severe if AHI ≥ 30. Results: 144 (1.8%) out of 7989 patients studied in our SDU were ≥80 years old at the moment of the sleep study. No differences of gender were observed. The patients' characteristics expressed by mean ± standard deviation were: Age 82±1.7; BMI 33±4.3; neck circumference 41±9; Epworth 12.52±5.3. Snoring occur in 96%, witnessed apneas in 60%, nocturia in 93% and morning headaches in 47%. Principal comorbidities were hypertension 79%; dyslipidemia 29%; diabetes 32%; ischemic cardiovascular disease 15%; cerebrovascular disease 14%; arrhythmias 25%; 2% were active smokers and 3% had alcohol addiction. One or more comorbidities were observed in 127 patients (90.7%). Sleep studies consisted of: 65 polysomnographies (45%) and 79 polygraphies (55%) and the results, expressed in mean ± standard deviation, were: AHI 55.8±18.3; CT90 43±33.5 and ODI 42.8±22.8. SAHS was diagnosed in 135 patients (94%) and was severe in 95 (66%). Conservative treatment was prescribed to 52 patients (36%), while in 90 patients (62%) were prescribed CPAP and 2 patients (2%) non invasive ventilation. Conclusion: Octogenarians represent only a small percentage of the population derived to our SDU. Most of them were symptomatic, had comorbidities and SAHS and, in more than a half of them, it was severe, being prescribed CPAP.