Indian Journal of Sleep Medicine

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VOLUME 17 , ISSUE 3 ( July-September, 2022 ) > List of Articles

Original Article

Relationship between Insomnia and Blood Oxygen Levels in COVID-19 Patients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit

Khadijeh Alizadeh Feremi, Nouraddin Mousavinasab, Zahra Gholipour

Keywords : COVID-19, Insomnia, Intensive care unit, Oximetry

Citation Information : Feremi KA, Mousavinasab N, Gholipour Z. Relationship between Insomnia and Blood Oxygen Levels in COVID-19 Patients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Indian Sleep Med 2022; 17 (3):72-76.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10069-0103

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 19-10-2022

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2022; The Author(s).


Abstract

Introduction: It seems that inadequate sleep affects the oxygen levels in patients infected with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). However, few studies have worked on the effect of insomnia on the blood oxygen level. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of insomnia on the blood oxygen level in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to infection with COVID-19. Materials and methods: This study was performed on 100 patients with COVID-19 referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital, affiliated with Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. The insomnia severity index (ISI) was used to assess the severity of insomnia in the patients. They were then divided into four groups of patients with no insomnia, subthreshold, moderate, and severe insomnia. The patient's oxygen saturation was measured repeatedly at different times of day after hospitalization. Results: The findings demonstrated no significant differences between the four study groups regarding gender, marital status, education level, and occupational status (p >0.05). Moreover, no significant difference was observed between the four groups concerning lung involvement (F = 0.64; p = 0.58) and hospital stay (F = 1.23; p = 0.29). The mean of oxygen saturation in patients without insomnia was higher than in those who had insomnia before the study and on days 1–5 after hospitalization (F = 30.97; p <0.001). Conclusion: The results confirm the association between oxygen saturation and sleep disorder. The oxygen saturation level decreases in patients with different levels of insomnia (i.e., severe, moderate, and threshold insomnia) and patients affected by COVID-19 with acute pulmonary involvement. These patients are more susceptible to being hospitalized in specialized departments and mortality.


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