Prevalence of sleep apnea in healthy industrial workers

Abstract

The present study reports on polysomnographic findings of sleep apnea syndrome in a representative sample of otherwise healthy middle-aged blue collar workers (age 45.7±8.5) with normal to borderline blood pressure (systolic 135.5±16.1; diastolic: 88.3±10.2), mild overweight (Broca 114.9±14.7) and with reported nocturnal sleep disturbances. The prevalence of sleep apnea in this sample (N=20 out of a total of 78 workers with reported sleep disturbances) is 40%. Mean frequency of apnoeic episodes during night was 97.6±42.7 in the apnea-positive group as compared to 27.1±19.9 in the apnea-negative group (T=5.0;pT=7.2,p<0.0001). Left ventricular hypertrophy (mean diameter of end diastolic left ventricle: 64.0±9.5 mm) was found in individuals with apnea although manifest hypertension was absent in most individuals.