Aim: The association between sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) and cerebrovascular diseases although widely investigated in last years remains still unclear. The aim of our study was to determine the frequency of SAS in patients with stroke admitted to our stroke unit.
Material and methods: The examined group consisted of 27 patients with stroke confirmed by computed tomography (mean age: 66+/-10 years, mean BMI: 24.4+/-4.4). In all cases a sleep study was performed in the acute phase of stroke (1-10 days) using a portable respiratory recording device (Poly Mesam) which measures nasal and oral air flow, chest wall movements, heart rate, oxygen saturation and snoring.
Results: The frequency of SAS (apnea/hypopnea index--AHI > or = 10/h) among patients in acute phase of stroke in our unit was 59% (15 persons). Mean AHI in SAS patients was 25.8+/-4.94. We observed mostly obstructive (53.3% of all) and mixed apneas (40%). Central apneas constituted only 6.6% of all recorded respiratory disorders. We did not observe any relationship between SAS and stroke localization.
Conclusion: The frequency of SAS is high in patients with stroke. Screening for respiratory disorders during sleep should be a routine practice because it could help in decreasing stroke mortality.