Personality Characteristics In Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea-hypopnea Syndrome

Objective: To investigate the psychopathology and Personalitycharacteristics in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS)．Methods: A clinical-based cross-sectional survey and descriptiveresearch design was performed.60patients with OSAHS and30snorers(control group) which all diagnosed by polysomnography (PSG) were chosenfrom the sleep Medicine Center of West China Hospital were included in thisstudy. Demographics, Clinical information, body mass index (BMI) werecollected. Use the Multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) and Epworth sleepinessscale (ESS) to evaluate the excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)，The scales ofthe Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the Short-Form36item Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36),the fatigue scale (FS-14),theattention-deficit scale were tested in all patients with OSAHS and snorers. Allclinical parameters were expressed as mean±SD, as well as percentages (forcategorical variables). Descriptive analysis, unpaired t test, Chi-squared test andPearson correlation analysis were performed by SPSS19.0.Results:1. When the absolute scores were defined as mean of Chinesestandardized (T) scores,OSAHS patients have significantly higher absolutescores on hypochondriasis (Hs) than that in the control group (56.0±9.1vs52.0±6.6, P=0.035).2. When Clinical elevation was defined as T score>60, OSAHS patientscompared to snorers have significantly higher the rate of clinical elevation onHs (33.3%vs6.7%, P=0.006), depression (D)(35.0%vs10.0%, P=0.011), hysteria (Hy)(41.7%vs10.0%, P=0.002), psychopathic deviate (Pd)(36.7%vs6.7%, P=0.002), psychasthenia (Pt)(21.7%vs3.3%, P=0.024),schizophrenia (Sc)(13.3%vs0.0%, P=0.036).3. OSAHS patients compared to snorers have significantly greater thenumber of clinical elevations (2.4±2.1vs0.6±1.0, P=0.000).4. Compared to the male OSAHS patients, the female patients withOSAHS have significantly higher total MMPI Score and MMPI absolute scoreson Hs, D, Masculinity femininity (Mf), Paranoia (Pa), Pt, Sc, Socialintroversion (Si), as well as have significantly higher the rate of clinicalelevation on Hs, D, Hy, Mf, Pa, Pt, Sc, Si and greater number of clinicalelevations.5. The mean of attention-deficit score and fatigue score of patients withOSAHS were significantly higher than snorers (P<0.05). Compared to thesnorers, the patients with OSAHS have significantly lower total SF-36Scoreand mean scores on Vitality, Mental Health, Bodily Pain, and General Health.6. People with the disability profile have a lowest quality of life, highestinattention scores, highest fatigue scores. People with two or three clinicalelevations have a lower quality of life, higher inattention scores, higher fatiguescores. There were no significant differences of inattention scores, fatiguescores, quality of life between People with one and no clinical elevations.7. When the quality of life scores, TST and TAI were negatively correlatedwith total MMPI Score, the attention-deficit scores and fatigue scores werepositively correlated with total MMPI Score.Conclusions:1. Patients with OSAHS compared to snorers displayedsignificantly more hypochondriasis, depression, hysteria, psychopathic deviate,Psychasthenia, Schizophreia personality characteristics.2. The female have more serious psychopathology compared to the malepatients with OSAHS. 3. Compared to snorers, patients with OSAHS have lower quality of lifeand higher scores for inattention and fatigue.4. The TST, TAI and daytime functions in patients with sleep disorderedbreathing may be influenced by the severity of psychopathology.