Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper was to determine the incidence of depression in our sleep disorders clinics (and it’s relation to patient characteristics) and to determine whether the incidence of depression varies in patients with and without sleep apnea.
Methods
The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was administered to evaluate patients for depression. We reviewed records of all new patients between November, 1995 and May, 1996 and determined their BDI scores and polysomnogram (PSC) results. Patients were divided based on their respiratory disturbance index (RDI); a cut off value of 15 was chosen. Patients were re-divided based on the BDI score (13 or greater suggestive of depression). The age, sex, body mass index (BMI), BDI or RDI (as appropriate) and arousal indices were compared.
Results
Sixty-three patients were enrolled; 29% were depressed. BDI scores and PSG data were available in 42 patients. Those with a high RDI had significantly lower BDI scores and higher arousal indices. Those with a high and low BDI scores were not significantly different in any of the parameters evaluated.
Conclusions
Symptoms of depression are commonly seen in a sleep clinic. In patients with symptoms suggestive of SA but with low RDI scores, a diagnosis of depression should be entertained. The presence of depression, however, should not negatively influence a decision to perform PSG.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beck AT, Beamesderfer A. Assessment of depression: The depression inventory. In: Pichot, ed. Modern Problems in Pharmacopsychiatry: Psychological Measurements in Psychopharmacology. Basel: Karger, 1974;151–169.
Beck AT, Ward CH, Mendelson M, Mock J, Erbaugh J. An inventory for measuring depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1961;4:561–571.
Berry DTR, Webb WB, Block AJ. Sleep apnea syndrome: a critical review of the apnea index as a diagnostic criterion. Chest 1984;86:529–531.
Clark CM, Fleming JA, Li D, Oger J, Klonoff H, Paty D. Sleep disturbance, depression, and lesion site in patients with multiple sclerosis. Arch Neurol 1992;49:641–643.
Gillin JC, Duncan W, Pettigren KD, Frankel BL, Snyder F. Successful separation of depressed, normal and insomniac patients. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1979;13:503–507.
Goetz RR, Puig-Antich J, Ryan N, Rabinovich H, Ambrosini PJ, Nelson B, Krawiec V. Electroencephalographic sleep of adolescents with major depression and normal controls. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1987;44:61–68.
Hetta J, Rimon R, Almqvist M. Mood alteration and sleep. Ann Clin Res 1985;17:252–256.
Johnson DAW, Heather BB. The sensitivity of the Beck depression inventory to changes of symptomatology. Brit J Psychiatry 1974;125:184–185.
Keaton W, Schulberg H. Epidemiology of depression in primary care. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 1992;14: 237–247.
Nolan TE, Metheny WP, Smith RP. Unrecognized association of sleep disorders and depression with chronic pelvic pain. South Med J 1992;85(12):1181–1183.
Rounsaville BJ, Weissman MM, Rosenberger PH, Wilber CH, Kleber HD. Detecting depressive disorders in drug abusers: a comparison of screening instruments. J Aff Disorders 1979;1:255–267.
Waller DA, Hardy BW, Pole R, Giles D, Gullon CM, Rush AJ, Roffwarg HP. Sleep EEG in bulimic, depressed and normal subjects. Biol Psychiatry 1989;25:661–664.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Husain, A.M., Mebust, K.A., Carwile, S.T. et al. Depression in sleep disorders clinics. Sleep & Breathing 2, 73–75 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03038869
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03038869