Risk for sleep apnea syndrome in Pakistan: a cross-sectional survey utilizing the Berlin questionnaire

• DOI: 10.1007/s11325-008-0220-8
• Publication Date: 2008-09-19T15:28:28Z
• Authors: Fawad Taj; Zarmeneh Aly; Osman Arif; Bhojo Khealani; Mansoor Ahmed
• Keywords: Cross-sectional study

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of individuals at high risk for developing obstructive sleep apnea in the Pakistani population using a validated questionnaire.This is a cross-sectional survey using a pre-validated, interviewer-administered questionnaire conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital. All healthy individuals above 18 years of age attending a seminar were included as participants after consent.The percentage of people in the high-risk group was calculated to be 12.4% out of a population of 137. Presence of snoring, hypertension, and body mass index >27.5 kg/m(2) was found to be more prevalent in high-risk individuals.A significant proportion of the population is at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.