Journals / Anatolian Current Medical Journal / 2026 / Volume: 8 Issue: 1

Predicting obstructive sleep apnea severity without polysomnography: a machine learning approach based on clinical and demographic features

Klinik ve demografik değişkenlerle obstrüktif uyku apne şiddeti makine öğrenimi tabanlı tahmin edilebilir mi?

Büşra Durak(HITIT UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE)0000-0002-2638-1513
Eren Ege Özol(Jheronimus Academy of Data Science)0009-0004-2871-7414
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-01-06
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Prospective multicenter validation is warranted.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Aims: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent disorder characterized by recurrent upper airway collapse during sleep, causing intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation.
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Key Findings & Data:This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model to predict clinically significant OSA (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI]≥15) using only demographic, behavioral, symptomatic, and comorbidity data, without PSG-derived parameters.
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Conclusion & Impact:Prospective multicenter validation is warranted.
🔬Design:Modeling & Simulation
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Obstructive sleep apnea · machine learning · artificial intelligence

Abstract

Aims: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent disorder characterized by recurrent upper airway collapse during sleep, causing intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation. Diagnosis depends on polysomnography (PSG), which is resource intensive and not always available. This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model to predict clinically significant OSA (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI]≥15) using only demographic, behavioral, symptomatic, and comorbidity data, without PSG-derived parameters. Methods: A retrospective dataset of 1281 adults evaluated for suspected OSA was analyzed. Variables included age, sex, body-mass index (BMI), neck circumference, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), smoking status, and comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes. Four algorithms Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting, Logistic Regression, and Support Vector Machine were trained and tested using an 80/20 split and five-fold cross-validation. Model performance was assessed by accuracy, recall, precision, F1-score, and ROC-AUC. Results: Among 1281 participants, 42.6% had AHI≥15. The RF model achieved the best performance with 78.6% accuracy, 0.95 recall, 0.81 precision, 0.88 F1-score, and 0.86 ROC-AUC. ESS and BMI were the strongest predictors, followed by age, neck circumference, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes. The model effectively identified moderate-to-severe OSA cases, offering a practical triage tool for prioritizing PSG in resource-limited settings. Conclusion: The ML model accurately predicted clinically significant OSA using only accessible clinical variables. Its high sensitivity and interpretability support potential integration into clinical workflows for efficient risk stratification and PSG allocation. Prospective multicenter validation is warranted.

Özet

Amaç: Obstrüktif uyku apne sendromu (OSAS), uyku sırasında üst havayolunun tekrarlayan kollapslarıyla seyreden, aralıklı hipoksemi ve uykunun bölünmesiyle karakterize yaygın bir hastalıktır. Tanı, yüksek maliyetli ve erişimi sınırlı polisomnografi (PSG) ile konulmaktadır. Bu çalışmada yalnızca klinik ve demografik değişkenlere dayalı, PSG verileri kullanılmadan orta-ağır OSAS’ı (AHI ≥15) öngörebilen bir makine öğrenimi (ML) modeli geliştirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: 2019–2024 yılları arasında OSAS şüphesiyle değerlendirilen 1281 erişkin hasta retrospektif olarak incelendi. Değişkenler arasında yaş, cinsiyet, beden kitle indeksi (BKI), boyun çevresi, Epworth Uykululuk Skalası (ESS), sigara kullanımı ve hipertansiyon ile diyabet gibi komorbiditeler yer aldı. Dört algoritma (Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, Lojistik Regresyon ve Destek Vektör Makineleri) kullanılarak eğitim ve test veri setleri oluşturuldu (80/20 bölünme). Model performansı doğruluk, duyarlılık, özgüllük, F1 skoru ve ROC–AUC ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Katılımcıların %42,6’sında AHI ≥15 saptandı. En yüksek performans Random Forest modeliyle elde edildi (doğruluk %78,6; duyarlılık 0,95; özgüllük 0,81; F1 skoru 0,88; AUC 0,86). ESS ve BKI en güçlü belirleyiciler olup, yaş, boyun çevresi, sigara, hipertansiyon ve diyabet de katkı sağladı. Model, sınırlı kaynaklarda PSG önceliklendirmesi için pratik bir triyaj aracı olarak kullanılabilir. Sonuç: Makine öğrenimi modeli, yalnızca kolay erişilebilir klinik verilerle orta-ağır OSAS’ı yüksek doğrulukla öngörebilmiştir. Yüksek duyarlılığı ve klinik uygulanabilirliği, modelin erken risk sınıflandırmasında ve PSG kaynaklarının etkin kullanımında yardımcı olabileceğini göstermektedir.

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Cite This Article

Durak, B., Özol, E. E. (2026). Predicting obstructive sleep apnea severity without polysomnography: a machine learning approach based on clinical and demographic features. Anatolian Current Medical Journal, Volume: 8 Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1801322

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