Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2009 Jan;52(1):36-40. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2009.52.1.36.

Clinical and Polysomnographic Characteristics in Rapid Eye Movement-Related Obstructive Sleep Apnea

• Eun YG
• Lee YC
• Kwon KH
• Cho JS
• Kim SW

• KMID: 1978425
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/kjorl-hns.2009.52.1.36

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the clinical and polysomnographic features of rapid eye movement (REM)-related obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
185 consecutive OSA patients were classified as having REM and non- REM OSA. Subjective symptoms, anthropometric and polysomnographic characteristics between REM OSAS and non-REM OSAS patients were compared.
RESULTS
Thirty-eight of the 185 patients (20.5%) were classified as REM OSA, and 147 patients (79.5%) were classified as non-REM OSA. Ninety five percent of the REM OSA patients belonged to the mild or moderate OSA group. The dominant occurrence of apnea and hypopnea in REM sleep did notseem to affect subjective symptoms and daytime sleepiness. Anthropometric and polysomnographic features did not help to differentiate REM OSA from non-REM OSA.
CONCLUSION
REM OSA may not be a separate and specific disease entity of OSA.

Keyword

Polysomnography; Rapid eye movement sleep; Obstructive sleep apnea

MeSH Terms

Apnea
Eye
Humans
Polysomnography
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive
Sleep, REM