TY - JOUR
T1 - Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea among former world trade center rescue workers and volunteers
AU - De La Hoz, Rafael E.
AU - Aurora, Rashmi N.
AU - Landsbergis, Paul
AU - Bienenfeld, Laura A.
AU - Afilaka, Aboaba A.
AU - Herbert, Robin
N1 - Funding Information:
The publication of this work was made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, cooperative agreement no. U10 OH008225.
Funding Information:
The work described in this article was performed before October 2006, when the WTC HETP had been funded by the following philanthropic organizations: the American Red Cross, the September 11 Fund, the Robin Hood Foundation, and the Bear Stearns Charitable Foundation.
PY - 2010/1
Y1 - 2010/1
N2 - Background: Snoring is a common symptom among workers with adverse health effects from their World Trade Center (WTC) occupational exposures. Rhinitis and upper airway disease are highly prevalent among these workers. Rhinitis has been associated with snoring and, in some studies, with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We examined the association of WTC exposure and findings on nocturnal polysomnogram, as well as known predictors of OSA in this patient population. Methods: One hundred participants with snoring underwent a polysomnogram to exclude OSA. Comorbidities had been previously evaluated and treated. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) defined and categorized the severity of OSA. Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and WTC exposure variables were examined in bivariate and multiple regression analyses. Results: Our study sample had a similar prevalence of five major disease categories, as we previously reported. OSA was diagnosed in 62% of the patients and was not associated with any of those disease categories. A trend toward increasing AHI with increasing WTC exposure duration failed to reach the statistical significance (P = 0.14) in multiple regression analysis. An elevated AHI was associated with BMI (P = 0.003) and male sex (P < 0.001). Conclusions: OSA was associated with BMI and male sex but not with occupational WTC exposure indicators in this patient population.
AB - Background: Snoring is a common symptom among workers with adverse health effects from their World Trade Center (WTC) occupational exposures. Rhinitis and upper airway disease are highly prevalent among these workers. Rhinitis has been associated with snoring and, in some studies, with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We examined the association of WTC exposure and findings on nocturnal polysomnogram, as well as known predictors of OSA in this patient population. Methods: One hundred participants with snoring underwent a polysomnogram to exclude OSA. Comorbidities had been previously evaluated and treated. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) defined and categorized the severity of OSA. Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and WTC exposure variables were examined in bivariate and multiple regression analyses. Results: Our study sample had a similar prevalence of five major disease categories, as we previously reported. OSA was diagnosed in 62% of the patients and was not associated with any of those disease categories. A trend toward increasing AHI with increasing WTC exposure duration failed to reach the statistical significance (P = 0.14) in multiple regression analysis. An elevated AHI was associated with BMI (P = 0.003) and male sex (P < 0.001). Conclusions: OSA was associated with BMI and male sex but not with occupational WTC exposure indicators in this patient population.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=75749101085&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181c2bb18
DO - 10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181c2bb18
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:75749101085
SN - 1076-2752
VL - 52
SP - 29
EP - 32
JO - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JF - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
IS - 1
ER -