The Relationship Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome and Mood Disorders

Background- We aimed to examine the correlation between the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), measured by the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), and the severity of mood disorders. Additionally, we evaluated the impact of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy on mood disorder symptoms over a 6-month period. Methods- A total of 60 patients diagnosed with OSAS and treated with CPAP were included in the study. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory–II (BDI-II), respectively. Polysomnographic parameters, including the AHI, were recorded. Changes in anxiety and depression scores before and after CPAP treatment were analyzed, and the relationship between AHI and mood scores was evaluated. Results- No significant correlation was found between AHI and baseline anxiety or depression scores. Following CPAP treatment, a statistically significant reduction in anxiety and depression scores was observed. In multivariate analysis, AHI was not identified as an independent predictor of baseline anxiety and depression levels. Conclusions- This dissociation highlights the multifactorial nature of mood disturbances in OSAS and supports the notion that psychological symptoms may arise independently of classical polysomnographic severity markers. However, significant reductions in anxiety and depression scores were observed following treatment.