Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19?

Abstract

Background and Objective Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a breathing disorder during sleep with an obstruction of the upper airway. Previous studies showed OSA as a risk factor for severe COVID-19. It is crucial to determine the risk factors for the severity of COVID-19 infection. We aim to clarify the relationship between COVID-19 severity, and OSA and its degree. Methods Our case-control study included subjects diagnosed with OSA with polysomnography between January 2018 and November 2021, and a control group with a history of COVID-19 infection and without OSA diagnosis. The demographic data, comorbidities, apnea–hypopnea index, and oxygen desaturation index were recorded. Results A total of 217 patients were included in our study. The degree of OSA was a risk factor in the OSA group (p < 0.05); on the other hand, the diagnosis of OSA by itself was not a risk factor. The apnea–hypopnea index and oxygen desaturation index were not related to the severity of COVID-19 infection (p > 0.05). Diabetes mellitus was associated with increased hospitalization in inpatient clinics (p < 0.05) and intensive care unit (ICU) (p < 0.05). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was a risk factor for admission to the ICU (p < 0.05). Conclusions Our results showed that moderate-to-severe OSA patients are a vulnerable population to severe COVID-19 infection, although diagnosis of OSA by itself was not a risk factor. © 2023 The Korean Society of Sleep Medicine