Abstract

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) is a disorder characterised by repetitive upper airway collapse during sleep in association with daytime sleepiness. It has an estimated prevalence of 2% and 4% among middle-aged women and men respectively. The aim of the study was to look at the association of body mass index (BMI), age and gender and prevalence of OSAHS in the Omani population. Methods:Polysomnography reports and hospital medical records of all patients who took part in the Sleep Study at the Sleep Laboratory of the Clinical Physiology Department, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, between January 1995 and December 2006, were retrospectively reviewed. Data from both sources was gathered and analysed. Results: A total of 1,042 sleep studies were conducted with 608 valid studies for analysis. The study showed that the apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) >15 was more prevalent in men compared to women (47.9% versus 33.5%, P = 0.001). There was significant correlation of AHI with BMI (P <0.0001) among men compared to women (P = 0.1); however, age was significantly correlated with AHI among women (P <0.0001), but not with men (P = 0.1). Conclusion: The results indicate that there is a gender difference in the prevalence of OSAHS and obesity is a major risk factor for OSAHS among Omani men whereas age is found to be a risk factor for OSAHS among women.

Publication details

DOI
10.18295/2075-0528.1295
Journal
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 11(3), 363-368
Publisher
Sultan Qaboos University
Open access
Gold open access
License
CC BY-ND 4.0

Cite this article

APA 7

Al-Abri, M., Al-Hashmi, K., Al-Rawas, D., Omar, Al-Riyami, B., & Hassan, M. (2025). Gender Difference in Relationship of Apnoea/Hypopnoea Index with Body Mass Index and Age in the Omani Population. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 11(3), 363-368. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1295

MLA 9

Al-Abri, Mohammed, et al. "Gender Difference in Relationship of Apnoea/Hypopnoea Index with Body Mass Index and Age in the Omani Population." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 11, no. 3, 2025, pp. 363-368. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1295.

Chicago (author–date)

Al-Abri, Mohammed, Khamis Al-Hashmi, Deepali Al-Rawas, Omar, Bazdawi Al-Riyami, and Mohammed Hassan. 2025. "Gender Difference in Relationship of Apnoea/Hypopnoea Index with Body Mass Index and Age in the Omani Population." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal 11 (3): 363-368. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1295.

Harvard

Al-Abri, M., Al-Hashmi, K., Al-Rawas, D., Omar, Al-Riyami, B. and Hassan, M. (2025) 'Gender Difference in Relationship of Apnoea/Hypopnoea Index with Body Mass Index and Age in the Omani Population', Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 11(3), pp. 363-368. doi:10.18295/2075-0528.1295.

Vancouver

Al-Abri M, Al-Hashmi K, Al-Rawas D, Omar, Al-Riyami B, Hassan M. Gender Difference in Relationship of Apnoea/Hypopnoea Index with Body Mass Index and Age in the Omani Population. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal. 2025;11(3):363-368. doi:10.18295/2075-0528.1295

IEEE

M. Al-Abri, K. Al-Hashmi, D. Al-Rawas, Omar, B. Al-Riyami, and M. Hassan, "Gender Difference in Relationship of Apnoea/Hypopnoea Index with Body Mass Index and Age in the Omani Population," Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 363-368, 2025, doi: 10.18295/2075-0528.1295.