Sleep stage continuity is associated with objective daytime sleepiness in patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea.

Study objectives: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea is poorly explained by standard clinical sleep architecture metrics. We hypothesized that reduced sleep stage continuity mediates this connection independently from standard sleep architecture metrics.

Methods: A total of 1,907 patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea with daytime sleepiness complaints underwent in-lab diagnostic polysomnography and next-day Multiple Sleep Latency Test. Sleep architecture was evaluated with novel sleep-stage continuity quantifications (mean sleep stage duration and probability of remaining in each sleep stage), and conventional metrics (total non-rapid eye movement stages 1, 2, 3 (N1, N2, N3) and rapid eye movement times; and sleep onset latency). Multivariate analyses were utilized to identify variables associated with moderate EDS (5 ≤ mean daytime sleep latency ≤ 10 minutes) and severe EDS (mean daytime sleep latency < 5 minutes).

Results: Compared to those without EDS, participants with severe EDS had lower N3 sleep continuity (mean N3 period duration 10.4 vs 13.7 minutes, P < .05), less N3 time (53.8 vs 76.5 minutes, P < .05), greater total sleep time (374.0 vs 352.5 minutes, P < .05), and greater N2 time (227.5 vs 186.8 minutes, P < .05). After adjusting for standard sleep architecture metrics using multivariate logistic regression, decreased mean wake and N3 period duration, and the decreased probability of remaining in N2 and N3 sleep remained significantly associated with severe EDS, while the decreased probability of remaining in wake and N2 sleep were associated with moderate EDS.

Conclusions: Patients with obstructive sleep apnea and EDS experience lower sleep continuity, noticeable especially during N3 sleep and wake. Sleep-stage continuity quantifications assist in characterizing the sleep architecture and are associated with objective daytime sleepiness highlighting the need for more detailed evaluations of sleep quality.

Citation: Chen X, Leppänen T, Kainulainen S, et al. Sleep stage continuity is associated with objective daytime sleepiness in patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(10):1595-1606.