Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was associated with increased risks of insomnia symptoms and hospitalizations, researchers reported here.
Based on survey data of noninstitutionalized participants, roughly half of those with COPD had insomnia symptoms (48.1%), twice the rate of those without COPD, according to Maurice Ohayon, MD, PhD, of the Stanford Sleep Epidemiology Research Center in Palo Alto, Calif.
Co-occurrence of mental disorders with insomnia symptoms also increased likelihood of hospitalization by four times among those with COPD, Ohayon said in a poster session during the SLEEP meeting.
COPD is a major cause of disability, and it is estimated that sleep disturbance is highly prevalent among patients with COPD, though no prior research had examined the relationship between the two.
Ohayon studied sleeping habits, life habits, health, DSM-IV mental disorders, DSM-IV and ICSD sleep disorders in relation to COPD in a population of 8,768 noninstitutionalized participants in Germany, Spain, and the U.S. through telephone interviews.
COPD was defined as physician-diagnosed chronic bronchitis or emphysema that was treated or untreated.
Of those sampled, 2.5% reported receiving a COPD diagnosis.
Those who reported a COPD diagnosis had greater than twofold odds of co-presenting with insomnia symptoms versus those without COPD (OR 2.4). Common symptoms -- versus those without COPD -- included nocturnal awakenings (37.6% versus 22%, aOR 1.9) and global sleep dissatisfaction (30.3% versus 8.8%, aOR 4.3).
After adjusting for age, sex, and weight, breathing pauses during sleep and snoring were not significantly associated with COPD.
Of participants with COPD and sleep difficulties, 11.8% reported insomnia symptoms to a healthcare professional, and the odds of hospitalization due to related mental disorders were raised fourfold, he reported.
Participants with COPD also reported that insomnia and psychiatric disorders were tied to diminished quality of life.
Ohayon concluded that the condition was "a debilitating disease accompanied with sleep disturbances in the overwhelming majority of cases."
He added that comorbidity associated with insomnia symptoms accompanying COPD increased healthcare utilization and had a detrimental impact on quality of life among sufferers.
The study was supported by the Arrillaga Foundation and GlaxoSmithKline.
Primary source: Associated Professional Sleep Societies
Source reference:
Ohayon MM "COPD and associated sleep disturbances" SLEEP
2013; Abstract 0795.
