THE ESSENTIAL
- In France, obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome affects 4% of the population.
- Sleep apnea promotes the occurrence of high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke or coronary heart disease.
Sleep apnea, also called “obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAS)”, has an impact on daily activities. And for good reason, people with this nocturnal breathing disorder frequently drowsy during the day. They also have difficulty concentrating and have memory and mood disorders. Recently, Japanese scientists became interested in two other consequences of sleep apnea on the daily life of women.
A study of postmenopausal patients
For the purposes of their work, published in review Menopause on February 28, researchers recruited 51 postmenopausal people with OSAHS, who failed to cure the disorder. They measured the Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI), the number of times apnea presented in an hour using a device. The physical and psychological states of the participants were assessed using questionnaires.
A link between sleep apnea and joint pain in postmenopausal women
The authors found that postmenopausal women with sleep apnea suffered from joint pain and severe fatigue. According to the results, the more a patient presented phases of respiratory distress, the more her pains were severe. In a statementthe scientists explained that “joint tissues possess estrogen receptors, and that estrogen plays a role in maintaining homeostasis of joint tissues such as cartilage, ligaments, and muscle.”