A Scientometric Review of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder that has a high prevalence in the obese population. Studies have established the relationship between OSA and a multitude of adverse health outcomes including cardiovascular diseases and metabolic diseases, indicating the nature of OSA as a disorder with high comorbidity and mortality. Thus, OSA is a growing public health concern in the face of rising obesity trends globally. This study conducted a systematic analysis of the scientific literature on OSA from 1977 to 2022 in order to gain a better understanding of major research areas concerning OSA and the connections between these areas. Findings indicate that there are major clusters investigating the relationship between OSA and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, which are health conditions commonly associated with obesity and have a significant disease burden. The findings from this scientometric analysis also indicate emerging clusters of research into more specific populations such as children with obesity and pregnant women.