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.