Hospitalizations with Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the United States: Nationwide estimates for the years 2020 to 2022

Objective: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a major public health concern and has wide ranging impact on overall health. The objective of this study is to provide nationally representative estimates of OSA related hospitalizations in the United States during the years 2020 to 2022.

Methods: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer hospitalization database in the United States was used. All hospitalizations (both primary and secondary diagnoses) with an ICD-10-CM Code for OSA were selected for analysis. The demographic characteristics, co-morbid burden, and disposition status were examined. Simple descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data.

Results: During the study period, a total of 13,040 hospitalizations were primarily due to OSA. OSA as a secondary diagnosis was present in 6,470,827 hospitalizations. Majority of patients had co-morbid conditions. Fifty five patients (0.4 %) who were hospitalized primarily due to OSA died in the hospital. 172,025 patients (2.7 %) with a secondary diagnosis of OSA died in the hospitals. Overall, those with a secondary diagnosis of OSA had a longer length of stay in hospital, higher in-hospital mortality rates, and a greater co-morbid burden when compared to those primarily admitted due to OSA.

Conclusions: This study presents nationally representative estimates of hospitalizations with OSA and associated hospitalization outcomes. The burden on the healthcare system is highlighted. Regular screening and early intervention are crucial to mitigate the health impacts of OSA and improve patient outcomes.

Read more

Hospitalizations and OSA.pdf

Download PDF • 406KB