A STUDY TO MEASURE DAYTIME SLEEPINESS IN HYPOTHYROID PATIENTS

Abstract

A STUDY TO MEASURE DAYTIME
SLEEPINESS IN HYPOTHYROID PATIENTS
ABSTRACT Sleepiness indicates
an increased physiologic drive to sleep.
Studies have shown that excessive daytime
sleepiness (EDS) is associated with
increase in vehicle clashes. The Epworth
Sleepiness Scale (ESS) provides measure
of a subjects propensity to daytime sleepiness.
AIM 1. To evaluate daytime sleepiness
in newly diagnosed hypothyroid patients
using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.
2. To compare the ESS score in young
adults, adults and old adults of hypothyroid
patients with euthyroid control subjects. 3.
To evaluate the relationship between snoring
and EDS in terms of ESS questionnaire
responses.MATERIALS AND METHODS
Out of 100 participants, 50 were hypothyroid
patients of both sexes between
the age group of 18 to 50 years and 50
were normal subjects comparable in both
age and gender. Individuals were classified
based on their age into young adults
(18 to 24 years), adults (25 to 44 years)
and old aged adults (45 to 50 years).
The ESS questionnaire contains eight
items that evaluates the chance of a person
napping in different soporific situations.
According to this scale, score of
less than 7 is said to indicate normal
sleep function while a score of more than
10 denotes that the subject suffers from
EDS. Association of snoring and menopause
on EDS was also analysed. Statistical
analysis was carried out and analysed
by means of t-tests for independent
samples and one way ANOVA variation
between the three age groups using statistical
package for social sciences (SPSS
for windows 15).RESULTS Mean ESS
score was significantly higher in all the
age groups in hypothyroid patients. Influence
of snoring and menopause on ESS
score was not found to be statistically significant.
CONCLUSION Hypothyroid patients
suffer from excessive daytime
sleepiness due to sleep disordered
breathing, sleep fragmentation and arousals.
Early diagnosis and management with
hormone replacement therapy, restores
sleep pattern and hence a good quality of
life.