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Prevalence of sleep breathing complaints reported by treatment-seeking chronic insomnia disorder patients on presentation to a sleep medical center: a preliminary report

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Abstract

Purpose

Few studies have examined the co-morbidity between insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing in the clinical setting. This study evaluated treatment-seeking insomnia patients and their self-report of sleep breathing complaints.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted on 1,035 consecutive treatment-seeking, chronic insomnia patients who reported insomnia as their primary problem upon seeking care at a private, community-based sleep medical center. Measurements included the insomnia severity index, standard subjective sleep measures as well as rankings, attributions, and self-reports about sleep breathing disorders, problems, and symptoms.

Results

A total of 1,035 adult, treatment-seeking insomnia patients indicated insomnia interfered with daytime functioning, and their average insomnia severity was in the range of a clinically relevant problem: total sleep time (5.50 h, SD = 1.60), sleep efficiency (71.05 %, SD = 18.26), wake time after sleep onset (120.70 min, SD = 92.56), and an insomnia severity index (18.81, SD = 5.09). Of these 1,035 insomnia patients, 42 % also ranked a sleep breathing disorder among their list of reasons for seeking treatment, another 13 % revealed a concern about a sleep breathing problem, and another 26 % reported awareness of sleep breathing symptoms. Only 19 % of this clinical insomnia sample reported no awareness or concerns about sleep breathing disorders, problems, or symptoms. A greater proportion of men than women reported significantly more sleep breathing disorders, problems, or symptoms.

Conclusions

Sleep breathing complaints were extremely common among a large sample of treatment-seeking, self-identified, adult chronic insomnia patients. Prospective prevalence research is needed to corroborate or revise these findings, and polysomnography should be considered in appropriate cohorts to determine the clinical relevance of treatment-seeking chronic insomnia patients' sleep breathing complaints.

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Acknowledgments

This is not an industry-supported study. Dr. Krakow operates six websites providing education and offering products and services for sleep disorder patients, markets and sells three books for sleep disorder patients, owns and operates a commercial sleep center, and is the president of a non-profit sleep research center which has received support from ConAlma, Respironics, GlaxoSmithKlein, and Covidien. He has participated in speaking engagements supported by ResMed and Respironics. Mr. Ulibarri has indicated no financial conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sleep & Human Health Institute, 6739 Academy N.E., Suite 380, Albuquerque, NM, 87109, USA

    Barry Krakow & Victor A. Ulibarri

  2. Maimonides Sleep Arts & Sciences, Ltd, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Barry Krakow & Victor A. Ulibarri

  3. Los Alamos Medical Center, Los Alamos, NM, USA

    Barry Krakow

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  1. Barry Krakow
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  2. Victor A. Ulibarri
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Correspondence to Barry Krakow.

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Krakow, B., Ulibarri, V.A. Prevalence of sleep breathing complaints reported by treatment-seeking chronic insomnia disorder patients on presentation to a sleep medical center: a preliminary report. Sleep Breath 17, 317–322 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-012-0694-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-012-0694-2

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