Risk of Major Depression Associated with Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Apneic Individuals

Considering the frequent co-occurrence of major depressive disorder and excessive daytime sleepiness in apneic individuals, this study aimed to explore the relationship between excessive daytime sleepiness and the risk of developing major depressive disorder in this specific subpopulation. Demographic and polysomnographic data were retrospectively extracted from the clinical database of 1849 apneic individuals at the Sleep Unit. Excessive daytime sleepiness was considered present when the Epworth Sleepiness Scale score was >10 and major depressive episodes were diagnosed according to DSM criteria. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the risk of major depressive disorder associated with excessive daytime sleepiness in apneic individuals. The prevalence of major depressive disorder was 26.3% in apneic individuals. After controlling for major confounding variables, multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that apneic individuals with complaints of excessive daytime sleepiness had a higher likelihood of developing major depressive disorder compared to those without complaint of excessive daytime sleepiness. This study highlights the strong association between excessive daytime sleepiness and major depressive disorder in apneic individuals, underlining the importance of systematically assessing and adequately treating excessive daytime sleepiness to better manage depressive symptoms and improve overall treatment outcomes in this specific subpopulation.