Abstract

Sleep apnea is a common breathing disorder that affects nearly one billion people worldwide. Despite its high prevalence and clinical impact, it remains underdiagnosed and undertreated, particularly in middle-income countries. Aim: To determine the prevalence and risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and associated symptoms in the Chilean population. Methods: A systematic review was conducted across seven databases to identify studies reporting the prevalence, risk, or symptoms of OSA in Chile. Prevalence estimates were synthesized using a random-effects meta-analysis. Results: Fifteen studies involving 13,157 participants were included. The STOP-Bang questionnaire and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale were the most frequently used tools. Other instruments, such as the Ber-lin Questionnaire and sleep quality indices, were used less often. Only three studies employed respiratory polygraphy. The pooled prevalence of moderate-to-high risk of OSA, defined by a STOP-Bang score >3, was 25% (95% CI: 16-34%, I2= 98.4%). The most frequently reported symp-toms were snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, and witnessed apneas. Conclusion: The findings reveal a substantial burden of OSA risk and related symptoms in the Chilean population, based chiefly on screening questionnaires. Objective diagnostic methods were limited. These results underscore the need for population-based research using standardized and objective assessment tools to estimate OSA prevalence and inform public health strategies accurately.