0440 Peripheral arterial tonometry–based measures of obstructive sleep apnea in Black, Mexican American and non-Hispanic White adults Free

Racial/ethnic differences may exist in sleep quality and disorders, but there are limited data directly comparing objective measures of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among Black, Mexican American (MA) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) populations.

To date, the ongoing Health & Aging Brain among Latino Elders (HABLE)-Dormir study has enrolled 761 participants using a community-based participatory research approach. Here we describe OSA indices assessed by in-home assessments using WatchPAT, a Peripheral Arterial Tonometry (PAT)-based home sleep testing system that is validated for the diagnosis of OSA.

Participants had a mean age of 65.6+/-8.2 (50-90) years, comprised of 64% women; 34% MA, 24% Black and 42% NHW adults. Over half (52.0%) of the participants had moderate or more severe OSA as defined by the respiratory event index (REI based on 3% desaturations) of >=15/hour, 73.1% with REM-OSA (REM-REI >=15/hour) and 40.6% with NREM-OSA (NREM-REI >=15/hour). The median of the average snoring volume through the night was 41 (40-61) dB. The median percentage of sleep time spent with oxygen saturation below 90% (SpO2< 90%) was 1.0%. After adjustment for age, sex, Body Mass Index, cognitive status, and history of hypertension, diabetes, stroke and heart attack, Black and MA participants were 71% and 55% more likely to have REM-OSA compared to NHW participants (p=0.04), but had similar prevalence of NREM-OSA (p=0.80) and overall OSA (p=0.32). The adjusted mean percentage of sleep time spent with over 40dB snoring volume was higher among Black (22.7%, p=0.03) and MA adults (21.2%, p=0.11) than NHW adults (18.5%). The adjusted mean prevalence of nocturnal hypoxemia (SpO2< 90% time >= 1%) was similar among Black (48.2%), MA (51.7%) and NHW (50.0%) adults; p=0.83.

In this middle-to-older-aged population, PAT-based measures of OSA indicate a higher prevalence in minoritized adults of REM-specific sleep apnea, a phenotype associated with increased rates of hypertension and mortality. Home-based measures that do not distinguish between REM and NREM respiratory events may underestimate sleep apnea in these groups.

This research was supported by National Institutes of Health grant R01AG066137.