Polysomnographic findings in patients with sleep apnea syndrome in different body positions during sleep

There are some evidences that have approved the role of body position on various diseases and their causes. Respiratory diseases particularly disorders associated with respiratory rate and rhythm can be affected by the body position. Dizziness could be categorized as one of the most common medical complaints of patients referred to the neurology clinics. In this study, we aim to study polysomnographic findings in patients with sleep apnea syndrome in different positions during sleep. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 155 patients with sleep breathing disorders and Epworth sleepiness scale above 10 referred to the sleep clinic of Baqiyatallah Hospital during 2009–2011. After confirming the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea, polysomnography containing sleep breathing apnea-hypopnea indices (AHIs), different body positions, respiratory movements, oximetry pulse cases, EMG, EOG, and EEG were done by Alice device and the method was split night test. The mean age and BMI of patients were 50.62 ± 11.65 years old and 32.48 ± 7.19 respectively. There was a significant difference between AHI in supine position (25.78 ±21.01) versus lateral position; right (16.28 ± 22.40; p<0.001) or left (18.05 ± 21.04; p<0.007) but there was no significant difference between AHI in right versus left position (p = 0.782). According to the results of this study, it seems that apnea-hypopnea index in supine position could be worse than the left or right side sleeping position. However, this index value in each left and right lateral positions was not more than the other. In addition, desaturation value in supine position was significantly different from two others, but there were no preference in left or right positions.