Relationship between chronic rhinosinusitis and risk of obstructive sleep apnea: A nationwide, population-based study

Abstract

This study aimed to assess relationship between OSA risks, as assessed by STOP-Bang questionnaire, and CRS symptoms. This is a cross-sectional study based on the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). In a low-risk group according to the STOP-Bang questionnaire, 3.1% of subjects were CRS patients. However, a gradual increasing trend was observed among different risk groups. In the higher risk group, CRS patients accounted for 5.3% (P < 0.001). This finding was associated with increased occurrences of snoring, tiredness, and apnea (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.016, respectively). Among the four main symptoms of CRS (nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, facial pain/pressure, and decreased sense of smell), nasal obstruction increased from 4.1% in the low-risk group to 7.3% in the high-risk group (P < 0.001). Patients with a decreased sense of smell accounted for 1.9% in the low-risk group and 3.3% in the high-risk group, demonstrating an association of a decreased sense of smell with an increased risk of OSA (P < 0.001). This study found that the proportion of patients with CRS was significantly higher in the group at a higher risk of OSA. Among symptoms of CRS, nasal obstruction and anosmia were found to be associated with an increased risk of OSA.