Does apnea–hypopnea index alone reflect obstructive sleep apnea severity?

Aim: We aimed to assess whether there was a correlation between the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), desaturation time under 90% (DTU-90), and mean saturation (MS) levels and the parameters associated with tissue hypoxia.Materials and methods: A total of 144 subjects were included in the study. Blood C-reactive protein levels, blood uric acid levels, and urine microalbumin levels were measured and the urine uric acid/creatinine ratio and urine microalbumin/creatinine ratio were calculated.Results: Our study results suggest that MS and DTU-90, as well as the AHI, are correlated with the parameters reflecting hypoxemia and the other events secondary to hypoxia.Conclusion: MS and DTU-90 may reflect the severity of disease and may be used in the first evaluation of a patient with suspicion of obstructive sleep apnea before full polysomnography monitorization. Because they were not much better correlated with the parameters than the AHI, it is difficult to make a claim for their use as the only tool, or their replacement of the AHI, in the evaluation of patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea.