ABSTRACT

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) may create sleep disturbances due to chronic disease-related stress, respiratory abnormalities and adverse effects of treatment. We aimed to determine the quality of sleep in ILD patients, and the incidence of Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in these patients.

Taken to this study were 52 patients who were followed up in our center due to ILD. Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were applied to the patients. Spirometry and diffusion test were performed. Polysomnography (PSG) was performed to 27 patients whose ESS were more than or equal to 10.

Demographic characteristics, body mass index, spirometry and diffusion measurements, PSQI global score and the sub-components of it didn’t show difference according to ESS daytime sleepiness. Sleep quality of 44% of the patients was determined to be poor by PSQI. PSQI global score and sub-components weren’t correlated with apnea-hypopnea index, stage 1 latency, sleep efficiency and nocturnal desaturation (p>0.05) in 27 patients who underwent PSG. We observed increased stage 1 sleep and decreased stage 2-3 and rapid eye movement sleep. As nocturnal hypoxemia was seen arousals (p=0.000, r=0.698) increased. OSAS was diagnosed in 19 (70%) of subjects.

Although ILD patients don’t have daytime hypoxemia; they may have nocturnal hypoxemia and OSAS, which may effect their sleep quality. Therefore ILD patients should be evaluated for daytime sleepiness, and sleep-related breathing disorders.

Keywords: Interstitial lung disease, sleep related breathing disorders, Obstructive sleep apne