A STUDY TO MEASURE DAYTIME SLEEPINESS IN HYPOTHYROID PATIENTS

A STUDY TO MEASURE DAYTIME SLEEPINESS IN HYPOTHYROID PATIENTS ABSTRACT Sleepiness indicates an increased physiologic drive to sleep. Studies have shown that excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is associated with increase in vehicle clashes. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) provides measure of a subjects propensity to daytime sleepiness.AIM 1. To evaluate daytime sleepiness in newly diagnosed hypothyroid patients using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. 2. To compare the ESS score in young adults, adults and old adults of hypothyroid patients with euthyroid control subjects. 3. To evaluate the relationship between snoring and EDS in terms of ESS questionnaire responses.MATERIALS AND METHODS Out of 100 participants, 50 were hypothyroid patients of both sexes between the age group of 18 to 50 years and 50 were normal subjects comparable in both age and gender. Individuals were classified based on their age into young adults (18 to 24 years), adults (25 to 44 years) and old aged adults (45 to 50 years). The ESS questionnaire contains eight items that evaluates the chance of a person napping in different soporific situations. According to this scale, score of less than 7 is said to indicate normal sleep function while a score of more than 10 denotes that the subject suffers from EDS. Association of snoring and menopause on EDS was also analysed. Statistical analysis was carried out and analysed by means of t-tests for independent samples and one way ANOVA variation between the three age groups using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS for windows 15).RESULTS Mean ESS score was significantly higher in all the age groups in hypothyroid patients. Influence of snoring and menopause on ESS score was not found to be statistically significant.CONCLUSION Hypothyroid patients suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness due to sleep disordered breathing, sleep fragmentation and arousals. Early diagnosis and management with hormone replacement therapy, restores sleep pattern and hence a good quality of life.