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Objective: Obesity and metabolic syndrome are common among Roma subjects in Slovakia. We hypothesised that Roma subjects are at high risk to suffer from severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).Methods: 137 non-Roma and 23 Roma subjects referred for a diagnostic polysomnography were consecutively recruited. Overnight polysomnography, anthropometric variables and standard biochemical analyses were analysed.Results: Obstructive sleep apnoea was diagnosed in 91% Roma and 65% non-Roma subjects (p < 0.001). Roma subjects had higher apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) (61.2 ± 7.9 vs. 22.8 ± 2.3 events/h, p < 0.001), lower dip oxygen saturation (56.7 ± 4.9 vs. 79.3 ± 1.3%, p < 0.001), and higher waist circumference as compared to non-Roma subjects (121.3 ± 3.1 vs. 105.2 ± 2.4 cm, p < 0.001). In multiple regression analysis, Roma background (p < 0.001) and waist circumference (p < 0.001) were independent predictors of AHI (R (2) = 0.330). Roma background was associated with significantly higher risk of severe OSA (odds ratio 3.73; 95% confidence interval 1.20-11.65, p = 0.023), independently of age, gender and waist circumference.Conclusions: Among subjects referred for polysomnography, Roma background is associated with significantly higher risk of severe OSA. Knowledge of common OSA pattern in Roma patients may help in identifying high risk individuals and guide early therapy of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and asthma are often associated and several studies suggest a bidirectional relationship between asthma and OSA. This study analyzed the characteristics of patients with suspected OSA from the European Sleep Apnea Database according to presence/absence of physician‐diagnosed asthma. Cross‐sectional data in 16,236 patients (29.1% female) referred for suspected OSA were analyzed according to occurrence of physician‐diagnosed asthma for anthropometrics, OSA severity and sleepiness. Sleep structure was assessed in patients studied by polysomnography (i.e. 48% of the sample). The prevalence of physician‐diagnosed asthma in the entire cohort was 4.8% (7.9% in women, 3.7% in men, p < 0.0001), and decreased from subjects without OSA to patients with mild–moderate and severe OSA (p = 0.02). Obesity was highly prevalent in asthmatic women, whereas BMI distribution was similar in men with and without physician‐diagnosed asthma. Distribution of OSA severity was similar in patients with and without physician‐diagnosed asthma, and unaffected by treatment for asthma or gastroesophageal reflux. Asthma was associated with poor sleep quality and sleepiness. Physician‐diagnosed asthma was less common in a sleep clinic population than expected from the results of studies in the general population. Obesity appears as the major factor raising suspicion of OSA in asthmatic women, whereas complaints of poor sleep quality were the likely reason for referral in asthmatic men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]