High-risk of obstructive sleep apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness among commercial intra-city drivers in Lagos metropolis

Obstructive sleep apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness among commercial motor vehicle drivers in Lusaka, Zambia

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a risk factor for a major public health problem, car crashes, due to excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Commercial vehicle driving (CVD) is a hazardous occupation, having a high fatality rate worldwide. There have been no studies on EDS and OSA in Zambia despite the high rate of annual road traffic accidents (RTAs). We aim to determine the prevalence of EDS and OSA risk among CVDs in Lusaka, Zambia, to assess the impact of OSA on high RTA rates.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study. The STOP BANG questionnaire and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale were used. Consecutive sampling of drivers was done who were divided into low and high risk of OSA (HROSA). The risk factors associated with OSA in the bivariate analyses were subjected to a multivariate logistic regression model.

RESULTS

One hundred thirty-six drivers participated in the study (all male) with a mean age of 48 ± 5 years. The prevalence of HROSA was 22.8% out of whom 67.7% also had a EDS. Only 9.6% of the total cohort had EDS without HROSA. Using Fisher's exact test, HROSA was significantly associated with older age (> 50 years, P < .001), obesity (body mass index >30, P < .001), neck circumference of > 40 cm (P = .032), and hypertension (P < .001). Snoring and EDS were significantly associated with RTAs (P < .0001 and P = .007, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

High risk of OSA and EDS are common among CMV drivers in Zambia and underdiagnosed. The risk factors for OSA are amenable to preventive interventions.

CITATION

Simpamba K, May JL, Waghat A, Attarian H, Mateyo K. Obstructive sleep apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness among commercial motor vehicle drivers in Lusaka, Zambia. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(7):1191-1198.

Sleep Apnea Syndrome: Prevalence and Comorbidity with Other Non-communicable Diseases and HIV Infection, among Hospitalized Patients in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Background

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), a growing public health threat, is an emerging condition in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Related SSA studies have so far used an incomplete definition. This study is aimed at assessing SAS using an American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) complete definition and at exploring its relationship with comorbidities, among patients hospitalized in a Cameroonian tertiary hospital.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in cardiology, endocrinology, and neurology departments of the Yaoundé Central Hospital. Patients aged 21 and above were consecutively invited, and some of them were randomly selected to undergo a full night record using a portable sleep monitoring device, to diagnose sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). SAS was defined as an apnea − hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5/h, associated with either excessive daytime sleepiness or at least 3 compatible symptoms. Moderate to severe SAS (MS-SAS) stood for an AHI ≥ 15/h. We used chi-square or Fisher tests to compare SAS and non-SAS groups. Findings. One hundred and eleven patients presented a valid sleep monitoring report. Their mean age ± standard deviation (range) was 58 ± 12.5 (28–87) years, and 53.2% were female. The prevalence (95% confident interval (CI)) of SAS was 55.0 (45.7, 64.2)% and the one of MS-SAS 34.2 (25.4, 43.1)%. The obstructive pattern (90.2% of SAS and 86.8% of MS-SAS) was predominant. The prevalence of SAS among specific comorbidities ranged from 52.2% to 75.0%. Compared to SAS free patients, more SAS patients presented with hypertension (75.4% vs. 48.0%, p = 0.005%), history of stroke (36.7% vs. 32.0%, p = 0.756), cardiac failure (23.0% vs. 12.0%, p = 0.213), and combined cardiovascular comorbidity (80.3% vs. 52.0%, p = 0.003). Similar results were observed for MS-SAS. Metabolic and neuropsychiatric comorbidities did not differ between SAS and SAS-free patients.

Conclusion

The SAS diagnosed using modified AASM definition showed high prevalence among patients hospitalized for acute medical conditions, as it was found with SDB. Unlike HIV infection, metabolic and brain conditions, cardiovascular comorbidities (hypertension and cardiac failure) were significantly more prevalent in SAS patients.

Risk of obstructive sleep apnea among taxi-motorbike drivers in Parakou city in West Africa and associated factors with road traffic accidents

OBJECTIVES

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an underdiagnosed chronic respiratory disease, causing excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and road traffic accidents (RTA). This study aimed to determine the risk of OSA among taxi-motorbike drivers (TMD) and factors associated with RTA in Parakou, Benin.

METHODS

A cross-sectional comparative study was carried out between July and September 2020, including 225 TMD and 450 motorbike drivers other than TMD (non-TMD). A multiple logistic regression was then performed to determine factors associated with RTA.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 38.2 ± 10.2 and 36.6 ±10.9 years, respectively, for TMD and non-TMD (p = .048). The average daily working time was 10.7 ± 2.3H and 9.1±3.5H, respectively, for TMD and non-TMD (p < .001). Average sleeping time was comparable in both groups (7.5±1.4H vs 7.4±1.4H; p = .415). TMD significantly more complained of non-restorative sleep (38.7% vs 18.4%; p < .001) but less of EDS (20.0% vs 28.7%; p = .015). Abdominal obesity predominated in TMD (13.8% vs 4.4%; p < .001). An increased risk of OSA (NoSAS score ≥8) was diagnosed in 25.8% TMD and 26.7% non-TMD (p = .805). Overall, 25.8% of TMD and 18.4% of non-TMD (p = .027) reported at least one RTA in the last 12 months. After adjusted analysis, the unique factor associated with RTA was a daily sleeping pills consumption (aOR=2.2; 95%CI = 1.2-3.8; p = .006).

CONCLUSION

There is need to improve systematic screening and diagnosis of OSA in both TMD and non-TMD and reinforce the regulation and consumption of sleeping pills.

Clinical use of STOP-BANG and ESS questionnaires in the evaluation of obstructive sleep apnoea-related risk factors for motor vehicle accidents among public transport drivers in Delhi, India

PURPOSE

To assess the clinical use of Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS) and STOP-BANG questionnaires in the evaluation of sleep apnoea-related risk factors for motor vehicle accident (MVA) among public transport drivers in Delhi, India.

METHODS

The present cross-sectional study is based on data collected between April 2018 and March 2019 from public transport drivers in Delhi. All drivers coming for gas filling to 43 compressed natural gas (CNG) stations in Delhi were included in the study. The evaluation of sleep apnoea-related risk factors for motor vehicle accident was done using ESS and STOP-BANG Score.

RESULTS

A total of 4094 drivers participated in this study, and 299 drivers (7%) gave a history of motor vehicle accidents during the preceding 3 years. Drivers with STOP-BANG score ≥ 3 had a higher risk for MVA (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.26-2.02; p value < 0.0001). Score of ESS ≥ 10 carried a very high risk for MVA (OR 26.95; 95% CI 16.18-44.87; p value < 0.0001). The other risk factor of significance was alcoholism (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.04-1.80; p value < 0.0248).

CONCLUSION

Among public transport drivers in Delhi, daytime sleepiness is the major contributing factor to motor vehicle accidents. ESS and STOP-BANG questionnaires may be good screening tools for the clinical evaluation of OSA. Community-based screening of OSA is required for identification of public transport drivers at high risk of MVA.

Screening for obstructive sleep apnoea in professional drivers

Professional drivers show a higher prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) compared with the general population. Furthermore, there is concern about the association between OSA and car crash risk given that drivers with OSA show an increased risk for car accidents. Despite this risk, OSA is often underdiagnosed and undertreated in this population, mainly due to lack of appropriate screening and sleep study referrals. Polysomnography (PSG), the gold standard test, is inappropriate for systematic screening because of its high expense, complexity and relative inaccessibility in this population. Therefore, there is a strong demand for good screening tools, including both subjective and objective data that may assist in early identification of possible OSA among professional drivers and, thus, aid in PSG examination referral and OSA management in an accredited sleep centre. However, there is considerable disagreement over screening methods and criteria for triggering a sleep study referral in different countries. There is also a strong need for further research in the area of OSA screening of commercial drivers in order to improve the diagnostic accuracy of screening tools and ensure that patients with OSA are accurately identified.

OSA is usually undiagnosed and undertreated in professional drivers. Barriers to OSA diagnosis are lack of appropriate screening and sleep study referrals. Screening tools, including both subjective and objective data, may assist in early identification.http://bit.ly/31nD4A9

Reliability and Validity of Simplified Chinese STOP-BANG Questionnaire in Diagnosing and Screening Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome

The main purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the simplified Chinese STOP-BANG Questionnaire (SBQ) as a diagnosing and screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Two hundred and ten patients with suspected OSAHS were recruited in this study. The simplified Chinese SBQ was completed twice before and after polysomnography (PSG) monitoring. SPSS 20.0 was used to analyze the test-retest reliability, discriminant validity, comparative validity and predictive validity of the SBQ. Fourteen patients were excluded on account of fragmentary data, and valid 196 were divided into four groups: non-OSAHS group (n=28, 14.29%), mild OSAHS group (n=28, 14.29%), moderate OSAHS group (n=31, 15.81%) and severe OSAHS group (n=109, 55.61%). The test-retest coefficient for the first four items was 0.810, 0.679, 0.775, 0.963 respectively and the total score of the STOP questionnaire was 0.854. The analysis of discriminant validity revealed that there were significant differences among four groups in the total score of the SBQ and scores of item 1, 3, 7 and 8, which were also validated between patients with normal blood oxygen saturation and different degrees of hypoxemia. The SBQ evaluation showed low consistency with diagnostic gold standard PSG (κ=0.303, P<0.05). When taking apnea hypopnea index (AHI) ≥5/h, ≥15/h and ≥30/h as cut-offs to evaluate the SBQ predictive value, the areas under ROC curve were 0.77, 0.81 and 0.78, the sensitivity was 90.48%, 93.57% and 93.33%, and corresponding negative predictive values were 40.74%, 66.67% and 85.19%, respectively. It was suggested that the simplified Chinese version of SBQ had good reliability, and could distinguish the severity of OSAHS. Despite its limited diagnostic accuracy, the SBQ can be considered as an ideal tool for screening OSAHS with superior predictive validity.

Prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors among professional male long-distance bus drivers in Lagos, south-west Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Background

Professional drivers are known to be at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study was carried out to highlight these risk factors and their predictors among male long–distance professional bus drivers in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, with a view to improving health awareness in this group.

Methods

Socio–demographic data, anthropometric indices, blood pressure, fasting plasma blood glucose levels and lipid and physical activity profiles of 293 drivers were measured.

Results

Mean age of the study population was 48 ± 9.7 years; 71.0 and 19.5% of the drivers used alcohol and were smokers, respectively; and 50.9% were physically inactive. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 41.7 and 21.1%, respectively, while 39.7 and 13.9% were hypertensive and diabetic, respectively. Ninety (31.3%) subjects had impaired fasting glucose levels while 56.3% had dyslipidaemia. Predictors of hypertension were age and body mass index (BMI). BMI only was a predictor of abnormal glucose profile.

Conclusion

Professional male long–distance bus drivers in this study showed a high prevalence of a cluster of risk factors for CVD.

Hypersomnolence and Traffic Safety

Many people die or become disabled because of motor vehicle accidents. Scientific data suggest that sleepy drivers or those driving at odd hours are more likely to make driving mistakes. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy have been found to exhibit higher rates of falling asleep while driving. Treatment enhances the vigilance of these drivers. Tests measuring the extent of daytime sleepiness or drowsiness while driving can help identify at-risk drivers. There is a need to develop clear regulations governing periodic assessment of drivers' risks of falling asleep at the wheel, especially commercial drivers.

Correlates of sleep quality and sleep duration in a sample of urban-dwelling elderly Nigerian women

OBJECTIVES

Aging, female sex, and urbanization increase the risk of sleep impairment. Sleep in urban-dwelling elderly African women has been sparsely studied. We studied the characteristics and correlates of sleep quality and habitual sleep duration in a primary care population of urban-living Nigerian women.

METHODS

Sleep quality and sleep duration over the previous 1 month were estimated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Excessive daytime sleepiness, risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and depressive symptoms were also assessed.

RESULTS

Of the 428 subjects included, 117 (27.3%) were poor sleepers endorsing PSQI scores >5, whereas 126 (29.4%) slept <7 hours. The poor sleepers were more likely to be obese (P = .022), to have a high risk for OSA (P = .013), and to have clinically significant depressive symptoms (P = .001) compared with the good sleepers. Habitual sleep duration of <7 hours was associated with past oral contraceptive use (P = .025) and a trend toward a higher likelihood of high risk for OSA (P = .05) and coffee consumption (P = .05). On regression, the odds of high risk for OSA were higher with poor sleep quality and sleep duration <7 hours, respectively, whereas the odds of coffee consumption were higher with sleep duration <7 hours.

CONCLUSIONS

Poor sleep quality and inadequate sleep are common in our population of elderly women. High risk for OSA independently predicts poor sleep quality and, along with report of coffee consumption, independently predicts habitual sleep duration of <7 hours.

Risk of obstructive sleep apnea, excessive daytime sleepiness and depressive symptoms in a Nigerian elderly population

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a primary care population of elderly Nigerians and to determine its correlates.

METHODS

Clinical and demographic data of 414 elderly individuals in a primary care clinic were obtained. Their risk of OSA was estimated using Berlin questionnaire while Epworth sleepiness scale and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) were also administered.

RESULTS

Of the 414 subjects, 96 (23.2%) met the criteria for a high risk for OSA with a male to female ratio of 1:1. Subjects at high OSA risk (high OSA risk group) were younger than those at low OSA risk (low OSA risk group) (71.4±6.8 vs 73.6±7.7, p=0.011). Mean body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)) (27.3±5.8 vs 24.7±5.1, p<0.001) and waist circumference (WC, cm) (90.7±13.1 vs 86.5±13.9, p=0.011) were higher in the high OSA risk group compared with the low OSA risk group. A total of 215 (51.9%) and 62 (15.0%) subjects had clinically significant depressive symptoms (CESD-10 score≥10) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), respectively. On regression, the odds of EDS, depressive symptoms, increased BMI and younger age were significantly higher in the high OSA risk group compared with the low OSA risk group.

CONCLUSIONS

High risk for OSA and depressive symptoms are common in our sample of elderly Nigerians. Depressive symptoms, EDS, BMI and age independently predict high OSA risk in the elderly.

Validation of the STOP-Bang Questionnaire as a Screening Tool for Obstructive Sleep Apnea among Different Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is clinically relevant because untreated OSA has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The STOP-Bang questionnaire is a validated screening tool for OSA. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effectiveness of STOP-Bang for screening patients suspected of having OSA and to predict its accuracy in determining the severity of OSA in the different populations.

Methods

A search of the literature databases was performed. Inclusion criteria were: 1) Studies that used STOP-Bang questionnaire as a screening tool for OSA in adult subjects (>18 years); 2) The accuracy of the STOP-Bang questionnaire was validated by polysomnography—the gold standard for diagnosing OSA; 3) OSA was clearly defined as apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) or respiratory disturbance index (RDI) ≥ 5; 4) Publications in the English language. The quality of the studies were explicitly described and coded according to the Cochrane Methods group on the screening and diagnostic tests.

Results

Seventeen studies including 9,206 patients met criteria for the systematic review. In the sleep clinic population, the sensitivity was 90%, 94% and 96% to detect any OSA (AHI ≥ 5), moderate-to-severe OSA (AHI ≥15), and severe OSA (AHI ≥30) respectively. The corresponding NPV was 46%, 75% and 90%. A similar trend was found in the surgical population. In the sleep clinic population, the probability of severe OSA with a STOP-Bang score of 3 was 25%. With a stepwise increase of the STOP-Bang score to 4, 5, 6 and 7/8, the probability rose proportionally to 35%, 45%, 55% and 75%, respectively. In the surgical population, the probability of severe OSA with a STOP-Bang score of 3 was 15%. With a stepwise increase of the STOP-Bang score to 4, 5, 6 and 7/8, the probability increased to 25%, 35%, 45% and 65%, respectively.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis confirms the high performance of the STOP-Bang questionnaire in the sleep clinic and surgical population for screening of OSA. The higher the STOP-Bang score, the greater is the probability of moderate-to-severe OSA.

Risk of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome among in-patients at a neuropsychiatric hospital in Nigeria: a short report

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Sleep problems are commonly reported by persons with severe mental illness. Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSA) is commonly co-morbid with mental illness. Screening for OSA and its subsequent management may improve outcomes in this patient population. We screened for risk of OSA among in-patients with severe mental illness to determine its prevalence as well as its correlates using a socio-demographic questionnaire and the Berlin questionnaire.

METHODS

A cross sectional descriptive exploratory survey of in-patients (n=89) at a regional Neuro- Psychiatric hospital using a socio-demographic questionnaire and the Berlin questionnaire.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients (18/89; 20.9%) were classed as high risk for OSA. High risk for OSA was significantly associated with a higher body mass index; BMI (p<0.01), but not gender (p=0.53), diagnoses (p=0.84), co-morbidity (p=0.73) or use of atypical antipsychotics (p=0.48).

CONCLUSION

Patients with severe mental illness are at high risk for OSA with being overweight higher BMI significantly associated with this high risk.