Screening and prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome among health professionals in Morocco

Purpose. To screen the symptoms and to evaluate the prevalence of obstructive sleep apneas syndrome (OSAH) among health professionals. Method. This transversal epidemiological study concerned 1622 subjects. A questionnaire was submitted. The subjects with a positive Berlin questionnaire benefited from ventilatory polygraphy (VP). Results. The prevalence of positive Berlin was 13.2%. It increased with age, BMI, and also with the lack of regular sport activities use cannabis, alcohol or psychotropic drugs. It was more important in subjects suffering from metabolic, neuropsychiatric, cardiovascular and and/or respiratory pathology. The average sleep duration was more important in subjects having positive Berlin with earlier bedtimes and later wake-up. The prevalence of positive Berlin was higher among those who felt tired and sleepy and those who complained from headaches in the morning. It was higher among subjects reporting insomnia and among those with vigilance disorders: sleepiness at the work place, sleepiness while driving, Epworth > 10. It was important in subjects who had a road accident and/or work accident during the last twelve months. Prevalence of OSAH was 50.9% among subjects with positive Berlin who benefited from a VP. It has been estimated between 5.4% and 7.9% in the total population. Among subjects with positive Berlin having benefited from a VP, OSAH was more frequent among those over 50, suffering from obesity, cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric, metabolic and\or respiratory diseases. Conclusion. Occupational health physicians must play an important role in the early detection of this pathology and in education. (C) 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.