Cross Sectional Epidemiological Study of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) among Inpatient with Severe Mental Illness at Long Term Rehab Wards in Kuwait

Individuals with schizophrenia are 2 times-3 times more likely to die at an early age because of cardiovascular, metabolic, and infectious diseases. Although sleep disturbances are not included in the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, they are consistently reported in those patients. A high prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is reported in patients with schizophrenia. Both genetically determined and medication-induced obesity can lead to OSA,” Schizophrenic patients who have OSA generally have worse outcomes, worse quality of life, higher mortality, and more severe symptoms. Methods: A cross sectional epidemiological study for a total number of 36 patients diagnosed with severe mental illness, 20 females and 16 males, chosen from two rehab wards of the long stay inpatient unite at Kuwait Centre for Mental Health. KCMH diagnosed as (Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective and Bipolar Disorder), with the aim of identifying and screening OSA. Results: By using stop bang scale, 18 patients (50%) had a score of 1, indicate mild risk of apnoea-12 patients (33.3%) had a score of 2 indicate moderate risk of apnea, and 6 patients (16.7%) has score of 3 indicate high risk of apnea. Four patients out of 36 have normal body weight (11.1%), 7 out of 36 have overweight (19.4%), 25 have obesity (69.4%). Regarding waist size more than 38 cm was in 29 patients (80%), indicating increase in developing truncal obesity. Conclusion: Stop bang is a brief, easy-to-use screening tool for OSA in individuals with severe mental illness. There is a high prevalence of OSA symptoms among in patients with schizophrenia in long stay rehab wards. Primary prevention of OSA by targeting obesity may be the most effective strategy to reduce OSA among individuals with severe mental illness.