The mean coagulation profile in different severity groups of obstructive sleep apnea at tertiary care hospital, Karachi

Objective: To determine the mean coagulation profile in different severity groups of obstructive sleep apnea Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Pulmonology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre from December 31, 2020 to June 30, 2021. Each participant underwent detailed history, clinical evaluation, and overnight polysomnography with EEG, EMG, airflow, oxygen saturation, ECG, and video monitoring to assess apnea–hypopnea index. Apnea and hypopnea were defined by standard criteria. After fasting, venous blood samples were collected for platelet count, PT, aPTT, and INR. Anthropometric and demographic data were documented using a structured proforma. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 20. A p-value of ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 23 participants were included in this study. Platelet count was significantly lower in the mild group (135.88 ± 91.88) compared to moderate (221.89 ± 45.93) and severe cases (222.50 ± 25.86) (p = 0.020). Prothrombin time increased progressively with severity, from 10.70 ± 0.62 in mild to 12.41 ± 1.09 in severe cases (p = 0.003). In contrast, thromboplastin time showed no significant difference among groups (p = 0.852). The distribution of demographic and socioeconomic variables showed no significant association with the severity of obstructive sleep apnea. Conclusions: In conclusion, increasing severity of obstructive sleep apnea is associated with significant hematological alterations, particularly increased platelet counts and prolonged prothrombin time with elevated INR. Keywords: Obstructive sleep apnea, Platelet count, Prothrombin time, International normalized ratio