Prevalence of Sleep Apnea in Colombia: An Analysis of the Ministry of Health Database

Abstract

Introduction: Prevalence estimates for sleep apnea have traditionally been based on surveys that probe factors such as snoring and daytime sleepiness. The Colombian Ministry of Health maintains an information system that has been utilized to estimate the prevalence of numerous diseases. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the information of patients diagnosed with sleep apnea by gender, age, and departments in Colombia from the official databases. Methods: We accessed the SISPRO cubes searching for individuals treated with a primary diagnosis of sleep apnea (ICD-10 code G-473) between 2017 and 2021, gathering data on gender, age, and location of care. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Results: A total of 363,204 patients were diagnosed (50.5% women). Of these, 250,477 (69.0%) were aged over 50 years, resulting in a national pre-valence in this age group of 21.67 per 1,000 inhabitants. Comorbidities identified included obesity (in 34% of women and 24% of men), hypertension (in 47%), and diabetes (in 15%). Conclusions: The prevalence ascertained from administrative records is lower than estimates derived from screening surveys, likely due to under-diagnosis and underreporting. Nonetheless, the data underscore the significant scope of a problem that will continue to escalate in the coming years.

Keywords

• comorbidity
• prevalence
• registries
• sleep apnea syndromes
• sleep disorders
• intrinsic