People who have sleep apnoea could be at an elevated risk of suffering more severe coronavirus infections, according to a study by Turku University Central Hospital (Tyks) and the University of Turku.
Sleep apnoea is a disorder that takes place when an individual's breathing is periodically interrupted during sleep. One of the most common symptoms of the disorder is snoring and the condition has been linked to being overweight.
The study's data was drawn from patients who were admitted to Tyks hospital for Covid-19 treatment during the first wave of the epidemic last spring. Southwest Finland, the region which Tyks serves, survived the initial wave with a relatively small number of cases.
Out of the region's 480,000 residents there were 278 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases last spring. Just 28 of those cases required hospitalisation and were admitted to Tkys by 3 May.
Analysis of the data showed that 29 percent of hospitalised Covid patients had a previous sleep apnoea diagnosis.
The researchers noted that this proportion was significant, as only 3.1 percent of people in Finland are being treated for the sleep disorder.
Elevated risk
"The result was strong enough to raise the question of whether sleep apnoea could be a risk factor for Covid. Having sleep apnoea can, in principle, put a person at elevated risk of needing hospitalisation for treatment of Covid," Thijs Feuth, a pulmonary disease specialist at Tyks, said in a statement.
Although the total number of patients that took part in the study was small, the proportion who ended up having sleep apnoea was high. The study found that sleep apnoea was not clearly linked to obesity in these patients, as the condition often is. Obesity has also been found to be an increased risk factor for people with coronavirus infections.
Another notable finding in the study were the elevated CRP levels--indications of raised inflammation--found in patients admitted to intensive care units. Usually viral diseases do not significantly affect CRP levels, according to the study.
The study was published (PDF file) in the International Journal of Sleep Medicine and Disorders late last month.
