[en] The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a type of sleep disorder that has called the attention of many researchers because of its widespread distribution among middle-aged subjects. The OSAS is a respiratory problem characterized by the existence of apneas, defined as 10 second minimum intervals during which no aerial flux exchange takes place through the upper airways and the hypopneas not characterized by an arrest, but by a reduction of aerial flux through the upper airways. The most widespread index used in the diagnosis of the OSAS severity has been the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI). There is little consensus based on the apnea/hypopnea index regarding the clinical definition of the sleep apnea syndrome, as there is not a single criterion for the categorization of sleep apnea patients into severity levels. Nowadays, it is estimated that about 70% of the patients referred to sleep laboratories suffer from snoring, and it is suspected that they might also suffer from sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea patients may suffer from memory and cognitive problems, excessive daytime sleepiness, as well as mood disturbance, among other symptoms. Additionally, this disorder has severe medical and social consequences. One of the most characteristic symptoms in sleep apnea is snoring. Although snoring is one of the symptoms of sleep apnea, it should be remembered it is a typical phenomenon among population in general. There is a primary kind of snoring, the most frequent type in less severe cases, which even occurs among the normal population. In this case, the noise accompanying inspiration is made with almost every breath. Secondly, there is another kind of snoring that is either intermittent or cyclic, and snoring does not come with every breath but silent periods are also frequent. The latter indicates apnea. A considerable number of epidemiological studies regarding snoring have been produced of late. Several of them have concluded that snoring may have severe clinical consequences. Most patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea start having simple snores. In the last decade there has been a marked increase of patients who manifest respiratory disorders related to sleep who do not fall into the category of apnea patients. Nevertheless, the morbidity of these clinical disorders is not yet known, a circumstance that makes treatment more difficult. Only a reduced number of studies have tried to find out whether snorers show any kind of symptoms that could be used as a preventive measure against the development of sleep apnea. For all the previous reasons, the aim of this study is to assess whether there are any differences in daytime sleepiness, reaction time, short-term memory, depression, trait anxiety, state anxiety and neuroticism between a group of patients with obstructive sleep apnea and a group of snoring individuals who had not been diagnosed as suffering from OSAS.

[es] El síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño (SAOS) es un trastorno de la respiración que se produce durante el sueño, caracterizado por episodios repetidos de apnea (cese total del flujo aéreo) o hipopnea (cese parcial) con una duración mínima de 10 segundos. La sintomatología asociada al trastorno es muy variada. La mayoría de los pacientes se queja de problemas cognitivos, dificultades dificultades de concentración, excesiva somnolencia diurna, despertares frecuentes y aumento de la actividad motora durante el sueño, así como de cambios en el estado de humor y en el carácter. De todos los síntomas observados en el trastorno, el ronquido es el rasgo más universal de la apnea del sueño y una de las causas más comunes de referencia para la evaluación del trastorno. Hoy en día se estima que aproximadamente 70% de los pacientes que acude a los laboratorios de sueño padece ronquido, siendo en este grupo además bastante alta la sospecha de un posible diagnóstico de SAOS. Algunos estudios han centrado su interés en evaluar si las personas que manifiestan ronquido crónico muestran algún tipo de sintomatología que pueda utilizarse como medida preventiva para el posterior desarrollo de la apnea del sueño. Aunque los resultados de estos estudios no son muy concluyentes, lo que sí parece confirmarse es que en muchos casos el ronquido puede llegar a producir consecuencias clínicas importantes. Por ello, y con base en la bibliografía revisada, el objetivo de la presente investigación es evaluar si hay o no diferencias en somnolencia diurna, tiempo de reacción, memoria a corto plazo, depresión, ansiedad estadorasgo y neuroticismo entre un grupo de pacientes con SAOS y un grupo de pacientes roncadores crónicos.