Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Role of Gender in Prevalence, Symptoms, and Treatment Success

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of known similarities and differences between genders relative to presenting symptoms, demographics, and severity of obstructive sleep apnea. There is a relationship of risk of disease occurrence relative to stages of reproductive life of a woman, indicating that chronologic age might not be as important as timing of pregnancy and menopausal transition. The current understanding of gender differences in treatment success and compliance with oral appliance therapy is limited and requires further investigation.

Keywords: Gender differences; Mandibular advancement; Oral appliances; Practice guidelines; Prevalence; Review; Sleep apnea; Symptoms.