TY - JOUR
T1 - Sleep disorders in US military personnel
T2 - A high rate of comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea
AU - Mysliwiec, Vincent
AU - Gill, Jessica
AU - Lee, Hyunhwa
AU - Baxter, Tristin
AU - Pierce, Roslyn
AU - Barr, Taura L.
AU - Krakow, Barry
AU - Roth, Bernard J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding/Support: This study was supported, in part, by the Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine [ Grant 60855 ]. Funding support was provided by the intramural department of the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Nursing Research (to Drs Gill and Lee).
PY - 2013/8
Y1 - 2013/8
N2 - Background: Sleep disturbances are among the most common symptoms of military personnel who return from deployment. The objective of our study was to determine the presence of sleep disorders in US military personnel referred for evaluation of sleep disturbances after deployment and examine associations between sleep disorders and service-related diagnoses of depression, mild traumatic brain injury, pain, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of military personnel with sleep disturbances who returned from combat within 18 months of deployment. Sleep disorders were assessed by clinical evaluation and polysomnogram with validated instruments to diagnose service-related illnesses. Results: Of 110 military personnel included in our analysis, 97.3% were men (mean age, 33.6 ± 8.0 years; mean BMI, 30.0 ± 4.3 kg/m2), and 70.9% returned from combat within 12 months. Nearly onehalf (47.3%) met diagnostic criteria for two or more service-related diagnoses. Sleep disorders were diagnosed in 88.2% of subjects; 11.8% had a normal sleep evaluation and served as control subjects. Overall, 62.7% met diagnostic criteria for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and 63.6% for insomnia. The exclusive diagnoses of insomnia and OSA were present in 25.5% and 24.5% of subjects, respectively; 38.2% had comorbid insomnia and OSA. Military personnel with comorbid insomnia and OSA were signifi cantly more likely to meet criteria for depression (P < .01) and PTSD (P < .01) compared with control subjects and those with OSA only. Conclusions: Comorbid insomnia and OSA is a frequent diagnosis in military personnel referred for evaluation of sleep disturbances after deployment. This diagnosis, which is diffi cult to treat, may explain the refractory nature of many service-related diagnoses.
AB - Background: Sleep disturbances are among the most common symptoms of military personnel who return from deployment. The objective of our study was to determine the presence of sleep disorders in US military personnel referred for evaluation of sleep disturbances after deployment and examine associations between sleep disorders and service-related diagnoses of depression, mild traumatic brain injury, pain, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of military personnel with sleep disturbances who returned from combat within 18 months of deployment. Sleep disorders were assessed by clinical evaluation and polysomnogram with validated instruments to diagnose service-related illnesses. Results: Of 110 military personnel included in our analysis, 97.3% were men (mean age, 33.6 ± 8.0 years; mean BMI, 30.0 ± 4.3 kg/m2), and 70.9% returned from combat within 12 months. Nearly onehalf (47.3%) met diagnostic criteria for two or more service-related diagnoses. Sleep disorders were diagnosed in 88.2% of subjects; 11.8% had a normal sleep evaluation and served as control subjects. Overall, 62.7% met diagnostic criteria for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and 63.6% for insomnia. The exclusive diagnoses of insomnia and OSA were present in 25.5% and 24.5% of subjects, respectively; 38.2% had comorbid insomnia and OSA. Military personnel with comorbid insomnia and OSA were signifi cantly more likely to meet criteria for depression (P < .01) and PTSD (P < .01) compared with control subjects and those with OSA only. Conclusions: Comorbid insomnia and OSA is a frequent diagnosis in military personnel referred for evaluation of sleep disturbances after deployment. This diagnosis, which is diffi cult to treat, may explain the refractory nature of many service-related diagnoses.
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U2 - 10.1378/chest.13-0088
DO - 10.1378/chest.13-0088
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84881512976
SN - 0012-3692
VL - 144
SP - 549
EP - 557
JO - CHEST
JF - CHEST
IS - 2
ER -