Investigating how sleep-disordered breathing varies at night and its effects on men and women.
Official title: Night- to-Night Variability in Sleep Disordered Breathing: Sex and Gender-Related Predictors and Impact on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Clinical Heterogeneity
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-10991215 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how sleep apnea can change from night to night and how it affects men and women differently, especially since women often don’t get diagnosed as often; if you join, you'll use special sleep monitors at home for a week and share how you feel during the day to help find better ways to diagnose and treat this condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $433,403 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL170675-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10991215 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include adults diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, particularly women and those experiencing symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea or those who do not experience sleep-disordered breathing may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how sleep-disordered breathing, particularly obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), varies from night to night and how this variability affects individuals differently based on sex and gender. The study aims to identify reliable biomarkers for OSA severity that can improve diagnosis and treatment, especially for women who are often underdiagnosed. Participants will use advanced sleep monitoring technology in their homes over a week, while also providing information about their daytime functioning through regular assessments. By analyzing data from 300 participants, the research seeks to uncover important differences in how OSA impacts men and women.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, particularly for women, reducing their risk of associated health issues.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has indicated that sex and gender differences significantly affect the presentation and severity of obstructive sleep apnea, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Morris, Jonna — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Morris, Jonna
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Night-to-night sleep-disordered breathing differences in women and men
A study to find better biomarkers for sleep apnea severity, especially in women, by monitoring people at home for a week and tracking daily mood and energy.
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Night-to-night changes in obstructive sleep apnea symptoms in men and women
The team will track breathing during sleep at home and daytime symptoms over several nights to find clearer signs of obstructive sleep apnea for men and women, including differences by menopausal status.
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Mechanisms of sex-specific responses to sleep apnea therapies
A research project at NYU School of Medicine is exploring how men and women may respond differently to treatments for obstructive sleep apnea and related heart risk.
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Deep learning to predict obstruction site and guide sleep apnea treatment
A patient-focused project uses snoring sounds and AI to predict where your airway collapses during sleep and to guide personalized treatments.
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Personalized DISE-guided surgery for sleep apnea in children with Down syndrome
A personalized surgical approach guided by DISE sleep-endoscopy is being tested to better treat sleep apnea in children with Down syndrome who don’t always improve after standard surgery.
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Biomarkers to understand obstructive sleep apnea using microRNAs
A study at the University of Pennsylvania will look for microRNA signs in the blood that reflect how bad sleep apnea is and how well CPAP therapy works for patients.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.