The aim of the present study is to compare the clinical characteristics of obstructive sleep apnea between elderly (age≥65years) and middle aged (age≥25 and <65years) patients.

A retrospective study was performed in patients referred for daytime sleepiness, habitual nocturnal snoring and witnessed apnea spells, from 2008 to 2011. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea were classified into two groups according to age at first identification of respiratory pauses during sleep: an elderly onset group (n=116) and, randomly selected middle aged control group (n=116). The demographic characteristics, clinical presentations, Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) and polysomnographic variables were compared between groups.

Sleep efficacy was significantly lower in the elderly group. No significant differences in body mass index (BMI), neck circumference, ESS, apnea hypopnea index (AHI) or O₂ saturation indexes were seen between elderly and middle aged groups. As for variables by gender in the elderly group, no significant differences in BMI, neck circumference, ESS, sleep efficacy or AHI were seen between female and male patients in the elderly group. Mean O₂ saturation and lowest O₂ saturation indexes were significantly lower in female patients.

Our data suggest that the clinical characteristics of obstructive sleep apnea in the elderly onset group seemed to remain milder when compared with the middle aged patients. This finding may be due to the smaller physiologic response to respiratory events. Also, the clinical presentations between female and male patients in the elderly group were found almost similar in the study group.