Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome and Its Comorbid Association with Obesity: Current State of the Problem

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to analyze literature sources examining current views on the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and obesity in order to improve physicians' awareness of potential risks, enhance diagnostics of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, timely prescribe appropriate treatment and improve the prognosis for such patients. Materials and methods. We conducted a review and analysis of scientific and medical literature relying on databases Scopus, Web of Science, MedLine, and PubMed. Results and discussion. In recent years, scientists have focused on the problem of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. On the one hand, this is due to the high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, which, according to literature, is almost one billion people worldwide and significantly burdens people and society. On the other hand, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is currently considered a significant, potentially modified risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, acute and chronic forms of vascular pathology of the brain. A well-known criterion for the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is the frequency of respiratory pauses per hour – apnea / hypopnea index. The results indicate that it is after 5 respiratory pauses for each hour of sleep when the severity of clinical symptoms characteristic of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome occurs and gradually progresses. With an apnea / hypopnea index of more than 15, the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders increases, and with an apnea / hypopnea index of more than 30 per hour, the risk of adverse, including fatal, cardiovascular consequences is significant. The etiology of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is multifactorial, involving complex interactions between anatomical, neuromuscular factors, and genetic predisposition. One of the most common satellites of sleep apnea is overweight and obesity. Currently, obesity is considered one of the most significant medical, social and economic problems in the world due to its high frequency of representation in the population and significant costs for the treatment of its consequences. According to the 2019 STEPS study, in Ukraine, only two-fifths (39.6%) of the population are normal weight, and almost three-fifths (59.1%) are overweight and obese. Conclusion. Thus, it is of clinical importance to select groups of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in the comorbid association with obesity, which will help identify diagnostically significant indicators, develop the algorithms for predicting the course of the disease, and elaborate the targeted approaches to preventing complications