Influence of the degree of polysomnography discomfort on the test result

Abstract

Objective: To relate the degree of discomfort caused by polysomnography (PSG) with the test result. Methods: Cross-sectional analytical observational study based on PSG performed in adult patients. After performing the PSG, patients completed a standardized form with questions about the degree of discomfort during the exam. This information was divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), evidenced according to the PSG result by measuring the Apnea and Hypopnea Index (AHI). The analysis was univariate, and the chi-square test was used as an association measure for qualitative variables and, for non-parametric variables, the Mann-Whitney test, with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI) and p-value significant less than 0.05. Results: We included 594 polysomnography patients, with 279 (46.97%) men and 315 (53.03%) women. The 30 to 44.9 years old group had the highest number of patients (43.43%) and the most with obesity (65.16%). The factor that most bothered patients was the presence of wires during the examination. The variables on sleep latency (p = 0.55*), number of awakenings (p = 0.46*), total hours slept (p = 0.98*), and sleep score (p = 0.36 *) showed no significant relationship with the diagnosis of OSA. The degree of discomfort did not present a significant relationship with the PSG result (p = 0.565**). Conclusion: Despite the discomfort during PSG, this factor does not interfere with the test result regarding the presence or absence of OSA.