Abstract
Introduction: The acute vision loss associated with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) frequently occurs upon awakening, suggesting that a pathological event during sleep may trigger NAION. Several recent studies have reported links between NAION and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).
Objective: To evaluate newly diagnosed NAION patients for the existence of an associated OSAS.
Methods: Newly identified NAION patients, from the department of Ophthalmology, underwent overnight laboratory polysomnography. The prevalence of sleep apnea in NAION patients was compared to the prevalence previously found in the general population. The classic risk factors associated with NAION were also identified.
Results: A total of 23 patients were recruited (16 men and 7 women), mean age 63,6±8,6 years, body mass index 30,2±5,6 kg/m2. 13 of these 23 NAION patients (56,5%) had OSAS and 20,8% had severe OSAS (RDI > 30/h). In this study, 69,2% of the patients had hypertension, 61,5% had dyslipidemia, 38,5% had past history of transient ischemic attack and 30,8% had diabetes. The mean cumulative time with oxygen saturation less than 90% (CT90) was 13,7±24,3%. Treatment with autoadjusting positive airway pressure (APAP) was started in 76, 9% of the OSAS patients. The relative risk for a NOIAN patient to have sleep apnea was 3.1 compared to the general population.
Conclusions: Our results suggest an association between OSAS and NOIAN. The prevalence of OSAS was lower than in other studies. The explanation for these results is probably due to the size of our sample. However, more than 50% patients with NOIAN had associated OSAS, reinforcing the need for screening these patients.
- © 2011 ERS
