Characteristics of those reporting frequent nocturnal sweating (≥3× week) versus those reporting less frequent sweating (≤2× week) in the general population and OSA cohorts
| General population cohort | OSA cohort | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent sweating (n=78) | Seldom sweating (n=625) | p Value | Frequent sweating (n=256) | Seldom sweating (n=566) | p Value | |
| Age (years) | 55.5±9.9 | 56.5±11.2 | 0.44 | 52.8±10.9 | 55.2±10.4 | 0.003 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 28.9±4.8 | 27.9±4.8 | 0.09 | 34.0±4.9 | 33.3±6.0 | 0.08 |
| Diabetes (%) | 6.4 | 2.4 | 0.046 | 7.1 | 9.4 | 0.27 |
| Physical quality of life (SF-12) | 48.1±9.1 | 51.4±7.5 | 0.0004 | 37.6±10.4 | 41.5±10.8 | <0.0001 |
| Mental quality of life (SF-12) | 49.9±5.5 | 51.6±4.6 | 0.003 | 45.9±11.8 | 49.4±10.3 | <0.0001 |
| Snoring ≥3 days/week (%) | 39.0 | 24.6 | 0.02 | 98.0 | 94.2 | 0.02 |
| Difficulties initiating sleep ≥3× week (%) | 37.3 | 11.1 | <0.0001 | 21.1 | 13.1 | 0.003 |
| Difficulties maintaining sleep ≥3× week (%) | 52.0 | 29.0 | <0.0001 | 68.4 | 53.7 | <0.0001 |
| Epworth sleepiness scale | 6.6±4.3 | 6.0±3.9 | 0.16 | 12.5±5.0 | 11.3±5.1 | 0.002 |
| Feeling sleepy or drowsy 6–7× week (%) | 16.7 | 7.2 | 0.004 | 78.8 | 60.1 | <0.0001 |
| Restless legs syndrome symptoms (%) | 31.2 | 17.2 | 0.003 | 43.4 | 33.8 | 0.009 |
| Nocturnal GER symptoms ≥1× week | 9.0 | 5.5 | 0.22 | 21.9 | 10.5 | <0.0001 |
| Daytime GER symptoms ≥1× week | 5.8 | 4.3 | 0.58 | 34.5 | 21.3 | <0.0001 |
Significant findings (p<0.05) are shown in italics.
BMI, body mass index; GER, gastroesophageal reflux; OSA, obstructive sleep apnoea. Diabetes was defined as a doctor diagnosis and treatment with medication.