Abstract
Background/Objective: Some sleep disorders are known risk factors for occupational injuries. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) in a population of patients with occupational injuries admitted to the emergency room (ER) to compare with a population of hospital outpatients.
Methods: Seventy-nine patients with self-afflicted occupational injuries (cases) and 56 outpatients (controls), were recruited at the University Hospital Basel (Switzerland) between 2009 and 2011. All patients had to complete a sleep-related questionnaire and underwent full-night attended polysomnography. We considered an Apnoea- Hypopnea Index (AHI) ≥5 as clinically significant for OSAS.
Results: Both groups were not different in sex (59.5% men in the patients group versus 48.2%, p=0.22), in age (36.1 years vs 39.3 years, p=0.15) and the BMI (mean 25.9 versus 24.7, p=0.046). None of the cases and controls had a previous diagnosis of OSAS. The median of the AHI was 5 (0 to 55.9) compared to 3.3 (0 to 42.7, p=0.17). Forty cases (50.6%) had an AHI ≥ 5 compared, to 17 (30.4%) controls (p=0.022). Ten cases (12.7%) had an AHI >15 compared to 6 (10.7%) in the control group (p=0.48).
Conclusions: In our sample individuals with occupational injuries had more often clinically significant an OSAS compared to hospital outpatients treated for other conditions. We suggest that OSAS must be considered as a risk factor for occupational injuries and patients admitted to an ER should be evaluated for this condition.
- © 2014 ERS