A study published in PLOS One finds that patients with overlapping chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are significantly more fatigued than patients with OSA alone, reports Psychiatry Advisor.
The case-control study enrolled 38 patients with overlap syndrome, 38 patients with OSA only, and 28 healthy control patients through the Alexandra Hospital of Athens. The patients underwent pulmonary function tests, oximetry, and overnight polysomnography and completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale before and after a 3-month treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
