Obstructive sleep apnea is highly prevalent in COVID19 moderate to severe ARDS survivors: Findings of level I Polysomnography in a tertiary care hospital

Study Objectives

Studies have found Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as a risk factor for increased risk for COVID19 Acute respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS); but most of the studies were done in already known patients of OSA. This study was done to find prevalence of OSA in patients with COVID-19 related acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Methodology

A hospital based longitudinal study was conducted among COVID 19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) survivors. All consecutive COVID19 with moderate to severe ARDS were evaluated for OSA by Level I Polysomnography (PSG) after 4-6 weeks of discharge. Prevalence of OSA and PSG variables {Total sleep time, Sleep efficiency, sleep stage percentage, Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI), T90, nadir oxygen} was estimated.

Results

Out of 103 patients discharged from ICU during study period (October 2020 to 15 December 2020), 67 underwent Level I PSG. Mean Age was 52.6±10.9 years and mean Body Mass Index was 27.5 ± 6.2 Kg/m². Total sleep time was 343.2 ± 86 minutes, sleep efficiency was 75.9±14.2%. OSA (AHI ≥5) was seen in 65/67 patients and 49 patients had moderate to severe OSA (i.e. AHI ≥ 15).

Conclusion

Moderate-severe OSA was highly prevalent (73%) in COVID19 moderate to severe ARDS survivors. Role of OSA in pathophysiology of COVID19 ARDS needs further evaluation.

Highlights

• This study was done to find prevalence of OSA in patients with COVID-19 related Acute respiratory distress syndrome

• Moderate-severe OSA is highly prevalent (73%) in COVID19 ARDS survivors.

• To the best of our knowledge, it is first study in which level I PSG was done in COVID19 survivors.