1Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
2Associate Professor Psychiatry and Behavioural Science Research Center Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
3Clinical Research Development Center Qaem Hospital Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
4Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Research Center Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
5Resident of Neurology, School of Medicine Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
6Resident of Neurology, School of Medicine Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
*Address for correspondence: Dr. (Mrs) Saeidehanvari MD, Resident of Neurology, School of Medicine Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran E-mail: saeidehanvari@yahoo.com M: 093547944
Online published on 30 June, 2018.
Sleep is frequently complicated in military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common sleep disordered breathing which affects mostly middle aged men, may be an important reason for sleep disturbances symptoms in military veterans. This study was conducted to compare the clinical features and polysomnographic parameters of OSA in PTSD veterans and control group.
26 PTSD veterans diagnosed with OSA by standard polysomnography were studied. Body mass index (BMI) was recorded and Epworth Sleepiness Scale, a questionnaire for evaluation of daytime sleepiness was applied. The control group was consisting of men matched for age who diagnosed also with OSA.
The mean age of veterans was 53.73 ± 8.7, and of the control group was 52.11 ± 6.2 years. The most common initial complaint in veterans was insomnia (57.5%) following by aggressiveness (14.5%), while non-veterans mostly complained from snoring (53.8%) and sleepiness (23%). Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was on average 38.8 ± 27.2. Mean BMI of veterans was 28.5 ± 5.7 and it was not related with AHI.
Unlike most of patients with sleep apnea, veterans mainly complain of insomnia and aggression. Moreover, BMI cannot predict the severity of sleep apnea in such patients. Therefore, it is recommended that veterans should be carefully investigated for OSA, even in the absence of typical presentation of OSA.
