The Relationship Between Illness Severity, Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Patients

Abstract

Objective: Obstructive Sleep Apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a disease commonly seen in the community, causing labor loss and neuropsychiatric symptoms. The aim of the study is to compare the symptoms of depression and anxiety with those of healthy controls in patients with OSAS and to investigate the relationship between OSAS severity with anxiety and depression. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and thirteen patients with OSAS who underwent polysomnographic examination and 116 healthy controls were included in the study. The patient group was classified as mild, moderate and severe OSAS. Beck Anxiety and Beck Depression Scales were administered to the patients and healthy controls. Results: There was a significant difference between the patient group and the control group in the mean scores of Beck Depression and Beck Anxiety Scales. The mean scores of depression of the OSAS group were 11.16 +/- 8.87 (mild depression); 6.85 +/- 6.15 of the control group (p<0.05). Compared to Beck Anxiety Scores, OSAS group was 14.31 +/- 11.29 (mild anxiety); the control group was 6.45 +/- 6.08 (p<0.05). When the relationship between anxiety and depression scores and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) were examined, there was no statistically significant correlation between control and patient group (p>0.05). Conclusion: In our study; although there was a significant difference between depression and anxiety mean scores in patient and control group; there was no significant difference in anxiety and depression mean scores among mild, moderate and severe OSAS patients. Patients with OSAS were found to have mild anxiety and depressive symptoms. In these patients, there was no correlation between AHI values and depression and anxiety scores.