Dados do Trabalho

Título

Aspects of sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: results of a longitudinal study

Introdução

Previous work suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected sleep. People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are known to present sleep complaints, which could also get worse during the pandemic.

Objetivo

To analyze the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on sleep in individuals with COPD.

Métodos

Sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and by the Actiwatch sleep monitor for seven consecutive days. Pulmonary function was assessed using a portable spirometer. Visits were conducted in two moments: first in September-October/2020 (when rigorous measures of social isolation were implemented) and the second in June-July/2021 (immediately after the relaxation of social isolation measures as officially announced by national government institutions).

Resultados

Fourteen individuals with COPD were evaluated (8 men; median age 67 [65–72] years; FEV1 60 [41–66]%predicted; BMI 27 [24–30]kg/m2). In comparison to the first visit, individuals presented in the second visit lower sleep efficiency (94 [91–96] versus 85 [77–90]%, P=0.005), longer awake time after sleep onset (28 [13–50] versus 72 [46–91]min, P=0.006), higher number of sleep bouts (23 [14–38] versus 40 [32–53] bouts, P=0.007), higher number of wake bouts (22 [13–37] versus 39 [31–52] bouts, P=0.007) and longer duration of these waking blocks (1.09 [0.97–1.18] versus 1.80 [1.2–2.2]min, P=0.023). Sleep quantity was similar in both visits (7.8 [7.1–8.6] versus 7.4 [6.4–7.9] hours, P=0.055). Twelve (86%) patients reported a reduction in medical consultations at visit 1 because of the pandemic, and 4 (29%) patients reported worsening of respiratory symptoms at visit 2 compared to visit 1. No statistically significant changes were observed when comparing the total PSQI score between visits 1 and 2.

Conclusões

During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals with COPD presented a worsening of sleep quality, with reduced sleep efficiency and greater sleep fragmentation. Reduction of medical consultations and increase in respiratory symptoms were also reported, but more research is needed to investigate the associations of these findings. Results indicate that sleep evaluation and management should be encouraged in this population.

Palavras -chave

Obstructive chronic pulmonary disease; Sleep; Pandemic; COVID-19.