OSA severity by apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)
Pulmonology
Also known as: OSA-Schweregrad nach Apnoe-Hypopnoe-Index (AHI) · Apne-hipopne indeksine göre OSA şiddeti · Obstructive sleep apnoea severity by apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI)
What it is for
Adult obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is graded by the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI): the mean number of apnoeas and hypopnoeas per hour of sleep on polysomnography. Home sleep tests report the respiratory event index (REI) per hour of recording, graded with the same cut-offs.
Classification
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Mild | AHI 5 to <15 events per hour |
| Moderate | AHI 15 to 30 events per hour |
| Severe | AHI >30 events per hour |
| Note | sources differ on whether a value of exactly 15 or 30 falls into the lower or higher group; the categories describe event frequency only, not symptoms or oxygen desaturation. |
Source
Sleep-related breathing disorders in adults: recommendations for syndrome definition and measurement techniques in clinical research
AASM · Sleep 1999;22:667-689 (American Academy of Sleep Medicine Task Force)
PMID: 10450601
- Edition
- AASM severity categories (1999 task force report; used in the AASM 2017 diagnostic testing guideline)
- Checked on
Summary of the published classification in our own words. Not a substitute for the original publication.
A question about this classification?
Medelix answers clinical questions from guidelines and studies – every statement with its source.