Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea Associated with Higher Covid-19 Severity?

Objective  To investigate the associations between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity. Methods  Twelve individuals hospitalized in a Brazilian tertiary hospital diagnosed with COVID-19 by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) underwent respiratory polygraphy. Results  Polygraphic records identified seven participants without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (OSA-) and five with OSA (OSA + ). The OSA+ group presented worse peripheral oxygen saturation (77.6% ± 7.89%) than the OSA- group (84.4% ± 2.57%) ( p  = 0.041). Additionally, the OSA+ group showed greater COVID-19 severity (100%) than the OSA- group (28.57%) ( p  = 0.013) and required longer oxygen therapy ( p  = 0.038), but without difference in the length of hospitalization. The OSA+ group also presented higher rates of platelets ( p  = 0.008) and D-dimer (1,443 ± 897) than the OSA- group (648 ± 263 ng/mL) ( p  = 0.019). Conclusion  Obstructive sleep apnea in individuals hospitalized due to COVID-19 was associated with higher COVID-19 severity, worse peripheral oxygen saturation, longer oxygen therapy time, and higher platelet and D-dimer rates.