The Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Public Health Problem—Interactions with Sleep Efficacy and Mental Health

Anca Diana Maierean, Damiana Maria Vulturar (), Ioana Maria Chetan, Carmen-Bianca Crivii, Cornelia Bala, Stefan Cristian Vesa and Doina Adina Todea
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Anca Diana Maierean: Department of Pneumology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400332 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Damiana Maria Vulturar: Department of Pneumology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400332 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Ioana Maria Chetan: Department of Pneumology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400332 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Carmen-Bianca Crivii: Morphological Sciences Department, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Cornelia Bala: Department of Diabetes and Nutrition, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400332 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Stefan Cristian Vesa: Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Doina Adina Todea: Department of Pneumology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400332 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-21

Abstract: With the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, it was stipulated that patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may have a greater risk of morbidity and mortality and may even experience changes in their mental health. The aim of the current study is to evaluate how patients managed their disease (sleep apnea) during the COVID-19 pandemic, to determine if continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) usage changed after the beginning of the pandemic, to compare the stress level with the baseline, and to observe if any modifications are related to their individual characteristics. The present studies highlight the level of anxiety, which was high among patients with OSA during the COVID-19 pandemic ( p < 0.05), with its influence on weight control (62.5% of patients with high levels of stress gained weight) and sleep schedule (82.6% reported a change in sleep schedule). Patients with severe OSA and high levels of stress increased their CPAP usage (354.5 min/night vs. 399.5 min/night during the pandemic, p < 0.05). To conclude, in OSA patients, the presence of the pandemic led to a greater level of anxiety, changes in sleep schedule and weight gain because of job loss, isolation, and emotional changes, influencing mental health. A possible solution, telemedicine, could become a cornerstone in the management of these patients.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; obstructive sleep apnea; diagnosis devices; mental health; therapies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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