Obstructive sleep apnea patients who are more likely to suffer from severe symptoms due to COVID-19 infection

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, people with underlying illnesses have been known to be at increased risk of more severe illness and negative outcomes when infected. COVID-19 is an upper respiratory tract infection and affects the lungs, so people with lung disease are expected to be seriously affected.

But more and more research Diabetes And High blood pressure If they get an infection, they can suffer even more.

New research published in Hypnotic Review Is currently adding another group of people to this list, claiming that people with obstructive sleep apnea are at increased risk of adverse consequences from COVID-19 infection. The researchers behind this University of Warwick-based study conducted a systematic review of the study to reach this conclusion.

How sleep apnea enters COVID-19 images

The National Sleep Foundation defines sleep apnea as a type of sleep disorder characterized by abnormal breathing. There are three types of sleep apnea:

• Obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. The airway in the back of the throat is physically blocked, causing temporary loss of breathing.
• Central sleep apnea or CSA. There is a problem with the brain’s system that controls the muscles involved in breathing, causing slow and shallow breathing.
• Mixed or complex sleep apnea in which the patient suffers from both OSA and CSA.

As a study of Hypnotic Review Not only is the prevalence of OSA high, but the airways are partially or completely obstructed during sleep, leading to respiratory interruptions, decreased blood oxygen saturation, and awakening from sleep. OSA is also associated with increased prevalence of many other diseases. Hypertension is 39%, obesity is 34%, depression is 19%, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is 18%, diabetes is 15%, high cholesterol is 10%, and asthma. 4 percent.

Many of these diseases that occur with OSA have also been identified as risk factors for a poor prognosis for COVID-19. Still, previous studies have not been able to ultimately state whether the virus may increase the risk of patients with OSA.

Strong> COVID-19 risk analysis of OSA patients

To understand the relationship between OSA and COVID-19, researchers examined 18 studies published by June 2020 that referred to both sleep apnea and COVID-19. Of these, only eight were primarily associated with the risk of COVID-19 mortality, and 10 were associated with diagnosis, treatment and management. Later, researchers discovered that various biochemical and inflammatory mechanisms of OSA were also associated with COVID-19.

Respiratory sleep disturbances associated with OSA are associated with obesity, intermittent blood gas disorders (hypoxemia), and increased inflammatory markers. When OSA patients obtain COVID-19, these factors cause exacerbation of hypoxemia and cytokine storms, leading to severe COVID-19 disease as well as subsequent multiple organ failure.

Some studies have shown that increased melatonin and vitamin D levels may benefit patients with COVID-19. New research Hypnotic Review It has been pointed out that patients with OSA have impaired regulation of melatonin and tend to have low vitamin D levels. It may be useful for COVID-19 patients to be screened for OSA and provided with appropriate melatonin and vitamin D supplements. The study also points out that patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) also show OSA as a comorbidity, and IPV and other fibrotic changes are also observed in patients with COVID-19.

Therefore, it is important for researchers to screen COVID-19 patients with IPF for OSF and consider their viable treatment options, the researchers say. Researchers also show that further research into the causal relationship between COVID-19 and OSA should be done immediately to enable adequate assistance to patients around the world.

For more information, see the following articles. Sleep apnea..

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