Obstructive sleep apnea is more common than central sleep apnea in methadone maintenance patients with subjective sleep complaints

Sharkey, Katherine M.; Kurth, Megan E.; Anderson, Bradley J.; Corso, Richard P.; Millman, Richard P.; Stein, Michael D.

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.11.019

« Previous Next »Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Volume 108, Issue 1 , Pages 77-83, 1 April 2010

Obstructive sleep apnea is more common than central sleep apnea in methadone maintenance patients with subjective sleep complaints

Katherine M. Sharkey
- Department of Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA
- Corresponding author at: Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, 593 Eddy Street, APC Room 701, Providence, RI 02903, USA. Tel.: +1 401 421 9440; fax: +1 401 453 3578.
Megan E. Kurth
- General Medicine Research Unit, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, USA
Bradley J. Anderson
- General Medicine Research Unit, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, USA
Richard P. Corso
- General Medicine Research Unit, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, USA
Richard P. Millman
- Department of Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA
Michael D. Stein
- Department of Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA
- General Medicine Research Unit, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, USA
- Department of Community Health, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA

Received 3 August 2009; received in revised form 17 October 2009; accepted 27 November 2009.

Abstract

Objectives

Opioid-dependent patients treated with methadone have subjective sleep complaints and disrupted sleep on polysomnography (PSG). Previous studies of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in this population have focused on central sleep apnea (CSA). Our objectives were to: (1) characterize obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and CSA in patients in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) for opioid dependence; (2) examine factors associated with SDB in this population; and (3) investigate whether SDB was related to severity of subjective sleep complaints in MMT patients with subjective sleep disturbances.

Methods

We analyzed OSA and CSA from one night of home PSG in 71 patients who were in MMT for at least 3 months and had a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI) score >5.

Results

OSA (defined as obstructive apnea–hypopnea index (OAHI)≥5) was observed in 35.2% of our sample. OSA was associated with higher body mass index, longer duration in MMT, and non-Caucasian race. CSA (defined as central apnea index (CAI)≥5) was observed in 14.1% of the sample. CSA was not associated with methadone dose or concomitant drug use. Subjective sleep disturbance measured with the PSQI was not related to OSA or CSA.

Conclusions

SDB was common in this sample of MMT patients and OSA was more common than CSA. Given the lack of association between presence of SDB and severity of subjective sleep difficulties, factors other than sleep apnea must account for complaints of disturbed sleep in this population.

Keywords: Methadone, Opiate dependence, Sleep, Sleep apnea, Central sleep apnea, Obstructive sleep apnea, Sleep-disordered breathing