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“CEM” risk factors and severity of obstructive sleep apnoea in central European Roma and non-Roma patients referred for a diagnostic polysomnography

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Public Health

A Publisher’s Erratum to this article was published on 15 July 2010

A Publisher’s Erratum to this article was published on 15 July 2010

Abstract

Objective

Obesity and metabolic syndrome are common among Roma subjects in Slovakia. We hypothesised that Roma subjects are at high risk to suffer from severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

Methods

137 non-Roma and 23 Roma subjects referred for a diagnostic polysomnography were consecutively recruited. Overnight polysomnography, anthropometric variables and standard biochemical analyses were analysed.

Results

Obstructive sleep apnoea was diagnosed in 91% Roma and 65% non-Roma subjects (p < 0.001). Roma subjects had higher apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI) (61.2 ± 7.9 vs. 22.8 ± 2.3 events/h, p < 0.001), lower dip oxygen saturation (56.7 ± 4.9 vs. 79.3 ± 1.3%, p < 0.001), and higher waist circumference as compared to non-Roma subjects (121.3 ± 3.1 vs. 105.2 ± 2.4 cm, p < 0.001). In multiple regression analysis, Roma background (p < 0.001) and waist circumference (p < 0.001) were independent predictors of AHI (R 2 = 0.330). Roma background was associated with significantly higher risk of severe OSA (odds ratio 3.73; 95% confidence interval 1.20–11.65, p = 0.023), independently of age, gender and waist circumference.

Conclusions

Among subjects referred for polysomnography, Roma background is associated with significantly higher risk of severe OSA. Knowledge of common OSA pattern in Roma patients may help in identifying high risk individuals and guide early therapy of this disease.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the project “Centre for Excellent Research of Atherosclerosis and its Complications - Myocardial Infarction and Stroke”, Operational Programme of Research and Development financed by European Fund for Regional Development (50%), and by VEGA 1/0348/09 of the Ministry of Education, Slovakia (50%).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Respiratory Diseases and Tuberculosis, Medical Faculty, P. J. Safarik University, L. Pasteur Teaching Hospital, Rastislavova 43, 041 90, Košice, Slovakia

    Zuzana Dorkova, Zuzana Sopkova & Ruzena Tkacova

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  1. Zuzana Dorkova
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  2. Zuzana Sopkova
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  3. Ruzena Tkacova
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Correspondence to Ruzena Tkacova.

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This paper belongs to the special issue “Health of ethnic minorities in Europe”.

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00038-010-0164-1

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Dorkova, Z., Sopkova, Z. & Tkacova, R. “CEM” risk factors and severity of obstructive sleep apnoea in central European Roma and non-Roma patients referred for a diagnostic polysomnography. Int J Public Health 55, 429–434 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-010-0146-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-010-0146-3

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