A new suggestion for the Epworth Sleepiness Scale in obstructive sleep apnea

The aim of this study was to suggest a new cutoff score for the Turkish version of Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) in the patients with obstructive sleep apnea. In this study, the data of 483 patients who were admitted to our clinic with the complaints of daytime sleepiness and witnessed sleep apnea were reviewed retrospectively. The correlation between ESS and polysomnography (PSG) findings were assessed, and cutoff score of the Turkish version of the ESS was investigated. The mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 27.71 ± 26.69 eV/h, the mean ESS score was 8.42 ± 4.88. According to AHI, a statistically significant difference between ESS scores was detected (p = 0.001; p < 0.01). According to AHI (AHI ≥ 5, AHI ≥ 15 and AHI ≥ 30) the best cutoff score for ESS score was found as 8. The answers that were given to the ESS questions differ according to their sociocultural and economic condition. These results indicate that a score of 8 or higher on the ESS would seem a more appropriate cutoff score to suspect clinically relevant sleepiness in the Turkish population.