Dados do Trabalho

Título

Risk of obstructive sleep apnea in stroke patients in tertiary-level hospitals in Luanda, Angola 2021

Introdução

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disease characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep due to repetitive upper airway obstruction. Its prevalence in stroke patients varies between 50% and 70%. OSA is an independent risk factor for stroke. Diagnosing OSA in African countries, especially in Angola, has been challenging. The burden of stroke remains very high in developing countries and OSA can interfere with the recovery, prognosis, and recurrence of stroke in these patients.

Objetivo

Our main goal was to evaluate the risk of obstructive sleep apnea in stroke patients in tertiary-level hospitals in the province of Luanda, 2021.

Métodos

We conducted an observational, cross-sectional analytical study. We included 151 patients in the sample, selected using a probabilistic method by clusters of multiple stages. We used the STOP-Bang questionnaire and the modified Rankin scale for data collection. We analyzed the data using descriptive and analytical statistics, including Cramer's V and Spearman's rho tests, to evaluate the association between the degree of functional dependence and the risk of obstructive sleep apnea, as well as the association between the risk of obstructive sleep apnea and brainstem injury.

Resultados

The study included mostly male participants (53.0%) with the most common age group being 48-57 years (30.5%). The mean age was 53.1±13.3 years. Among the patients interviewed, 8.6% had a stroke in the brainstem region. Nearly half of the interviewed patients (49.0%) had mild to moderate deficiency on the modified Rankin scale, and 38% were at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea. The study revealed a positive association between the level of functional dependence and the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (rs = 0.377; p = 0.000), and found no association between the risk of obstructive sleep apnea and brainstem injury (X2 = 3.703 / V = 0.157; p = 0.157).

Conclusões

We observed that stroke patients with a high degree of functional dependence are at a higher risk for obstructive sleep apnea. There was no association between stroke located in the brainstem region and high risk for obstructive sleep apnea.

Palavras -chave

obstructive sleep apnea, stroke, functional dependence, brainstem stroke