Clinical and Demographic Correlates of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients - A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: COPD patients often experience disturbed breathing patterns, leading to nocturnal hypoxia and OSA. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of OSA in stable COPD patients and to identify its clinical, demographic and spirometric correlates. Methodology: This cross-sectional study included fifty stable COPD patients. The assessments involved body measurements, spirometry to diagnose and assess COPD severity, Epworth sleepiness scale for daytime sleepiness, and polysomnography for diagnosing and evaluating the severity of OSA. Results: Of the total patients, 22 (44%) were diagnosed with OSA with male predominance (59.09%). Patients with OSA had a significantly higher mean BMI (31.83 kg/m²) compared to those without OSA (24.1 kg/m²), highlighting obesity as a significant risk factor for OSA in COPD patients’ Significant associations were found between OSA and hypertension (63.64%) and diabetes mellitus (31.82%), consistent with the impact of OSA on cardiovascular and metabolic health. Most patients with OSA had moderate to severe COPD (GOLD stage II and III), suggesting a correlation between COPD severity and the presence of OSA. Conclusions: OSA was present in 44% of stable COPD patients, with a predominance of severe OSA cases. Higher BMI, larger neck and waist circumference, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and higher ESS scores were more frequent among patients with OSA.