Recognition and Treatment of Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Obese Hospitalized Patients May Improve Survival. The HoSMed Database

Purpose: Sleep-disordered breathing is a common sleep disorder. Recent studies have shown that hospitalized obese patients have a high likelihood of unrecognized sleep-disordered breathing. However, no systematic large study has so far evaluated the outcomes of a screening program. This study provides demographic, clinical, and outcome data from a screening program at a tertiary care academic center.

Methods: Subjects were 5062 patients screened from March 2013 to July 2016. Of these, 1410 underwent in-hospital overnight high-resolution pulse oximetry and 680 underwent polysomnography post discharge. Patients placed on positive airway therapy were followed in an ambulatory setting.

Results: The mean age was 60.7 years (SD 15.2), and mean body mass index was 34.8 kg/m² (SD 8.3), with 2477 (49.0%) males. Of the 1410 high-risk patients who underwent high-resolution plethysmography (HRPO), 1092 were sleep-disordered breathing positive (oxygen desaturation index [ODI] ≥5) and 680 high-risk patients underwent polysomnography. In this latter group, 585 (87%) were found to have sleep-disordered breathing (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] >5). A receiver operating characteristic curve for ODI derived from HRPO plotted against AHI from polysomnography showed an area under the curve of 0.83 for an ODI of >5. Patients who were adherent to positive airway pressure therapy in the first 3 months had improved survival over a mean follow-up of 609 days compared with those who were nonadherent (P = .01).

Conclusion: This large database of hospitalized patients confirms a high prevalence of undetected sleep-disordered breathing. Long-term follow-up of those compliant with treatment reveals a survival benefit.