Obstructive sleep apnea is highly prevalent in COVID19 related 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/m(2). Total sleep time was 343.2 +/- 86 min, sleep efficiency was 75.9 +/- 14.2%. OSA (AHI >= 5) was seen in 65/67 patients and 49 patients had moderate to severe OSA (ie 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. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study found a high prevalence of moderate to severe OSA in patients with COVID-19 related acute respiratory distress syndrome, indicating a need for further evaluation of the role of OSA in the pathophysiology of COVID-19.