Clinical characteristics and resource utilization of emergency department patients with obstructive sleep apnea

PMCID: PMC12173181

PMID: 40526732

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0326194

Journal: PloS one

Publication Date: 2025-6-17

Authors: Sun M, Zhang X, Liu YC, Pei J, Fan H, et al.

Key Points

• OSA patients represent a distinct, high-acuity subgroup in emergency departments, with unique demographic and clinical characteristics
• Adjusted odds ratios demonstrate significantly higher hospital admission (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.03-1.58) and medical resource utilization for OSA patients
• Emergency clinicians should anticipate higher complexity and resource needs when treating patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Summary

This comprehensive analysis of the 2016-2017 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey Emergency Department Subfile reveals critical insights into the unique characteristics and healthcare utilization patterns of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in U.S. emergency departments. OSA patients, representing approximately 2.8% of annual ED visits, demonstrated significantly different clinical profiles compared to non-OSA patients, characterized by higher acuity, increased resource utilization, and more complex medical needs.

The study highlights that OSA patients were more likely to be male, older (predominantly 60-74 years), and present with respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms. Notably, they exhibited substantially higher rates of hospital admission (30.3% vs. 13.7%), increased medical resource utilization, including more frequent blood tests (75.0% vs. 54.9%) and imaging studies (73.1% vs. 53.9%), and were more likely to arrive by ambulance. These findings underscore the importance of tailored clinical approaches for managing OSA patients in emergency settings.