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Related Experiment Videos

Screening for hypothyroidism in sleep apnea.

N M Skjodt1, R Atkar, P A Easton

  • 1Division of Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
|August 3, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Undiagnosed hypothyroidism can be misdiagnosed as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Screening for hypothyroidism in sleep clinic patients is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of sleep-disordered breathing.

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Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hypothyroidism share overlapping symptoms, increasing the risk of misdiagnosis.
  • Hypothyroidism can cause sleep-disordered breathing, mimicking primary OSA.
  • Accurate diagnosis is essential for appropriate patient management.

Observation:

  • A study screened 290 patients referred to a sleep clinic for undiagnosed hypothyroidism.
  • 200 high-risk patients underwent polysomnography (PSG) and biochemical screening.
  • 124 patients were diagnosed with sleep apnea, including three with previously undiagnosed hypothyroidism.

Findings:

  • Three patients (2.4% of those with OSA) had undiagnosed hypothyroidism presenting as secondary sleep apnea.

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  • Treatment with thyroxine alone resolved symptoms, sleep-disordered breathing, and nocturnal hypoxia.
  • Thyroid hormone levels normalized concurrently with the resolution of sleep apnea indicators.

    • Implications:

    • Biochemical screening for hypothyroidism is necessary to prevent misdiagnosis of hypothyroid sleep-disordered breathing as primary OSA.
    • This screening is a cost-effective addition to sleep apnea investigations.
    • Early identification and treatment of hypothyroidism can resolve secondary sleep apnea effectively.