Evaluation of the effect of depression and anxiety disorder comorbidity and physical activity on quality of life in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is a common sleep disorder that occurs as a result of airflow interruption (apnea) or reduction (hypopnea) due to partial or complete obstruction of the upper respiratory tract during sleep. This disease affects 1-5% of the general population and is usually diagnosed with polysomnography, which is considered the gold standard. OSAS can be seen not only with metabolic comorbidities but also with psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, and this condition can negatively affect the quality of life of individuals. However, the relationship between depression anxiety disorders and sleep disorders has not yet been fully clarified. OSAS patients are generally a group characterized by decreased physical activity. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the presence and severity of OSAS with depression, anxiety, and physical activity and the effect of this condition on quality of life. Of the 60 OSAS patients in our study, 25% were female (n=15), and 75% were male (n=45). Patients were divided into three groups according to OSAS severity: mild (AHI: 5-15), moderate (AHI: 16-30), and severe (AHI >30) and were compared in terms of gender, age, body mass index (BMI), presenting complaints, risk factors, and additional diseases. Although there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age, BMI, waist circumference, and hip circumference characteristics, these parameters' mean values were higher in severe OSAS patients than in the other groups. When OSAS severity was compared with the SF-36 questionnaire results, only a statistically significant difference was found in the physical role difficulty area. Physical role difficulty score was significantly higher in the mild OSAS group than in the other groups. No statistically significant relationship was found between OSAS severity and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and FADA scales. However, BDI scores were higher in severe OSAS patients than in mild and moderate OSAS patients. In conclusion, while our study did not find a significant relationship between OSAS severity and depression and anxiety disorders, we did observe higher scale scores in severe OSAS patients. This suggests a potential area for further investigation. Larger studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of these findings, offering hope for future research in this field.