Abstract:Objective To explore the relationship between lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and to provide reference for the clinical diagnosis and treatment strategy and treatment plan of LDH.Methods The data of LDH patients who underwent surgical treatment in the Department of Orthopedics of the First Hospital of China Medical University from January 2018 to March 2020 were sorted, and the study was carried out according to whether they had OSA or not.Results A total of 485 LDH patients were included in this study, of which 307 were combined with OSA. The incidence of LDH combined with OSA was 63.3%. The subjective symptoms, clinical symptoms and low back pain score of Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score (JOA) in LDH group combined with OSA were lower than those in LDH group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in JOA bladder function between the two groups (P > 0.05). Visual Analogue Score (VAS) of LDH combined with OSA group was higher than that of LDH group (P < 0.05). The proportion of grade 4 and 5 cases in Pfirrmann grade 5 scoring method was higher in LDH combined with OSA group than in LDH group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications such as dural tear rate, nerve damage rate, hematoma rate and incision infection rate between two groups (P >0.05). JOA and VAS scores were compared between LDH group and LDH group combined with OSA group at resting state 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery, which showed that there were differences in JOA and VAS scores at different time points (P < 0.05) and among two groups (P < 0.05), and that the change trends of JOA and VAS scores between two groups (P < 0.05). After 6, 12 and 24 months, there were 7, 27 and 32 cases of recurrence in LDH group, and 7, 81 and 117 cases of recurrence in the LDH combined with OSA group, respectively.Conclusion LDH patients have a higher incidence of OSA. LDH patients with OSA have more severe lumbar and leg pain and intervertebral disc degeneration than patients with LDH alone, and the recurrence rate is higher than patients with LDH alone. OSA is a promoting factor for LDH.