Five-year longitudinal changes in oxygen saturation parameters in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: Impact of age, body mass index, and comorbidities

ABSTRACT Background Novel oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) parameters may provide additional insights into obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) severity estimation beyond the apnoea-hypopnoea index. This study examined longitudinal changes in SpO 2 parameters and associations with demographic and clinical factors. Methods 1,941 Sleep Heart Health Study participants were analyzed at two time points, five years apart. SpO 2 parameters were derived from nocturnal oximetry and assessed in relation to age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and comorbidities. Results Significant changes were observed in most SpO 2 parameters over the 5-year period. Resaturation parameters showed greater changes compared to desaturation parameters. Initial age had the strongest influence on the magnitude of change; desaturation and resaturation rates decreased (-13.28% (95% confidence interval (CI) -17.75, -8.81) & -11.8% (95% CI -15.34, -8.26) for age >70 vs.