AB011. Assessment of anxiety and depressive symptoms in obstructive sleep apnea patients
Areti Batzikosta1, Maria Antoniadou1,2, Paschalina Tiga1, Evangelia Nena3, Maria Xanthoudaki4, Athanasios Voulgaris4, Rodopi Sotiropoulou4, Maria Kouratzi4, Marios Froudarakis4, Paschalis Steiropoulos1,4
Background: Aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in recently diagnosed patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), and to assess their association with OSAS severity.
Methods: Consecutive individuals (n=376), who were examined with full polysomnography for suspected OSAS, completed the Zung Anxiety Self-Assessment Scale (ZAS) and the Zung Depression Self-Assessment Scale (ZDS). Included were only patients without comorbidities, other than arterial hypertension and hyperlipidaemia.
Results: Mean age of the study population was 55.2±12.8 years (74.7% males). OSAS was diagnosed in 310/376 participants. Patients were divided into subgroups according to the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI). Severe OSAS (mean AHI: 58.2±20.8/h) was observed in 162 patients, moderate OSAS (mean AHI: 21±4.6/h) in 71 patients and mild (mean AHI: 9.3±3/h) in 77 patients, while 66 participants had an AHI <5/h and served as controls. ZAS score ≥45, indicating anxiety, was observed 34 individuals (10.97%) and ZDS score ≥45 indicating depression was observed in 65 individuals (20.97%). No difference in the prevalence of anxiety or depression symptoms between OSAS patients and controls was observed. Mean total ZAS score did not differ significantly between the 4 groups (P=0.760). A significant difference was observed in Question 3 (“I get upset easily or feel panicky”) and in Question 10 (“I can feel my heart beating fast”) with severe OSAS patients having the better scores (P=0.013 and P=0.024 respectively). Mean total ZDS score did not differ significantly between the 4 groups (P=0.391). A significant difference was observed in Question 2 (“Morning is when I feel the best”) with controls having the better scores and in Question 15 (“I am more irritable than usual”) with severe OSAS patients having the better scores (P=0.013 and P=0.029 respectively).
Conclusions: Anxiety and depressive symptoms are detected among OSAS patients, as indicated by ZAS and ZDS questionnaires respectively, while OSAS severity does not seem to be a predictive factor. This fact should be taken into consideration during the clinical assessment and treatment of OSAS patients.
Keywords: Obstructive sleep apnea; anxiety assessment; depressive assessment symptoms
doi: 10.21037/atm.2016.AB011
