Anxiety Levels, Sleep Quality and Follow-up of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective:Obesity, hypertension and diabetes, which increase the risk of developing severe Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, are also the most common comorbidities of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). The in-hospital evaluation and testing of patients with OSAS were delayed due to the pandemic. We aimed to investigate the changes in Epworth sleepiness score (ESS), use of positive airway pressure (PAP) devices, sleep quality, weight change, COVID-19 related anxiety, anxiety at hospital admission, domestic contact and contraction of SARS-CoV-2 in OSA patients during the pandemic.Materials and Methods:In our sleep centre, patients (n=202) who were diagnosed with sleep apnoea were called by telephone and a survey related to COVID-19, anxiety levels, PAP use, weight change, sleep quality and OSA was conducted during the pandemic.Results:In the study, hypertension and diabetes were the most common comorbidities. Overall, some of the patients with OSA gained weight, stopped PAP treatment, and ESS scores increased compared to the prepandemic period. The anxiety of hospitalization due to COVID-19 was found to be higher than the anxiety for COVID-19. There was a positive correlation between the level of anxiety at admission to hospital due to the risk of COVID-19 and the ESS measured at diagnosis (r=0.203 p=0.004). Better sleep quality was seen in 77% of the participants during the pandemic.Conclusion:OSA patients with high ESS at diagnosis, PAP uses, COVID-19 positive or with domestic contact should be monitored closely by telemedicine. In future research should examine sleep quality and the effects of working from home in OSAS individuals.

Keywords

• covid-19
• sleep apnoea
• anxiety levels
• sleep quality
• telemedicine