Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity have been linked with sleeping disorders in general and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in particular; both are highly prevalent amongst Emirati patients. However, little information is available in this population regarding the prevalence and symptomatology of OSA, its relationships with T2D and obesity, and its impact on health outcomes.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the risk of OSA based on the STOP-BANG questionnaire, a previously-validated screening tool for OSA, among Emirati patients seen at Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC).

Methods: Individuals attending ICLDC for indications other than diabetes were recruited by convenience sampling and asked to complete the Arabic-translated STOP-BANG questionnaire. Other relevant information were retrieved from the centre’s electronic database with the consent of participants. Data presented as mean ± S.D.

Results: 700 Emirati individuals (51.9% female, age 43.4 ± 12.3 years, BMI 30.5 ± 6.1 kg/m²) took part in the study. 46% of those recruited had an established diagnosis of T2D. STOP-BANG screening results showed high risk of OSA in 19.6%, intermediate risk in 34.7% and low risk in 45.7% of participants. High scores were more prevalent amongst patients with T2D compared to normoglycaemic individuals (31.5% v 5.5%). In male participants, snoring was the most commonly reported marker (73.2%), while in female participants, tiredness was more common (53.4%).

Discussion: Based on the STOP-BANG criteria, more than half of the studied population are at high or intermediate risk for OSA with high prevalence amongst patients with T2D. Our findings also indicate the need for proactive screening in these individuals.