ABSTRACT

Several studies have investigated the association between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and depression and anxiety; however, the relationship is still not understood very well. In this study we aimed to investigate the association between the hospital anxiety and depression (HAD) scores and the symptoms and polysomnographic (PSG) findings in patients referred with OSAS symptoms.

Patients who referred with snoring, witnessed apnea and daytime sleepiness symptoms and patients who had full-night PSG were included in this study. Illiterate patients were not included in the study. Epworth sleepiness scale and HAD scores was self-administered by the patients. Patients were compared according to HAD scores for symptoms, comorbidities, and PSG findings. Also, the correlation between HAD and PSG findings, symptoms and Epworth scores (ES) of the patients were analyzed.

Out of 149 patients who included in the study mean age was 48±11, mean body mass index (BMI) was 31±5, and 63% were male. Of the patients 127 (85%) had OSAS. Of the patients 32 (21%) had a high likelihood of depression (DS >10) and 24 (16%) of anxiety (AS >10). ESS and asthma rate were significantly higher in DS >7 subjects compared to DS <7 (p=0.019, p=0.015, respectively). Minimum oxygen saturation (minSpO2) in PSG was found significantly lower in AS >10 subjects compared to AS <10 subjects (p=0.005). There were no difference concerning other parameters (p>0.05). There were correlations between DS and age, female gender and mean oxygen saturation; AS and female gender, BMI, ES and excessive daytime sleepiness.

We did not find any association between hospital anxiety depression score and presence of OSAS and apnea hypopnea index in our study. Excessive daytime sleepiness was found as the most important factor related to depression and anxiety scores in our patients.

Keywords: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, hospital anxiety-depression scale, excessive daytime sleepiness