Researchers found that insomnia symptoms significantly contribute to patient-reported excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in a recent study examining obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The study, conducted at a tertiary medical center, involved 230 treatment-naïve OSA patients (63 female; average age: 54.1 years) who underwent in-lab polysomnography (PSG). Participants were assessed for EDS using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and for insomnia using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI).
The findings revealed a notable correlation between ISI scores and ESS scores (Spearman’s rho = 0.29, p < .001), indicating that higher insomnia severity is associated with increased daytime sleepiness. Specifically, ISI item 7, which evaluates the interference of sleep problems with daily functioning, showed the strongest correlation with ESS scores (r = 0.33, p < .001). Other significant correlations included ISI item 2 (difficulty staying asleep, r = 0.28, p < .001) and item 4 (satisfaction with current sleep patterns, r = 0.23, p = 0.025). Interestingly, no significant correlation was found between ESS scores and any PSG-associated metrics. Multiple regression analysis identified ISI item 7 as the sole significant independent predictor of ESS scores. These results suggest that insomnia symptoms, particularly those affecting daily functioning, play a crucial role in the perception of daytime sleepiness among patients with OSA. The study authors recommend that healthcare professionals assess insomnia symptoms in patients with OSA reporting daytime sleepiness, as addressing these issues may improve patient outcomes. They also propose that these preliminary findings be validated in larger and more diverse cohorts of patients with OSA. Reference: Gouveris H et al. Insomnia features and patient-reported daytime sleepiness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep Med. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2025.02.035. Anaya Malik | AMJ
