Sleep abnormalities in patients with overweight/obesity: not only an OSAS issue

<bold>Introduction:</bold> Insufficient sleep promotes obesity. Less studied is the role of obesity on sleep abnormalities apart from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Our aim was to evaluate sleep abnormalities and their relationship with OSAS, obesity degree and complications, and quality of life in patients with overweight/obesity. <bold>Methods:</bold> Outpatients with BMI>25 kg/m2 underwent anthropometric, clinical assessment and questionnaires on dietary habits, physical activity, sleep and quality of life (SF-36). <bold>Results:</bold> 45 patients were included (14 males, age 55±15 yrs, BMI 35±6 kg/m2) of whom 89% had impaired sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-PSQI >5) but only 29% reported impaired sleep to the specific question. PSQI score correlated directely with BMI (r=0.35, p=0.018), Fat Mass % (r=0.32, p=0.003), and, exclusively in women, waist circumference (r=0.38, p=0.032), and indirectely with 4 out of the 8 domains of SF-36 questionnaire: physical functioning, vitality, social functioning, emotional health. PSQI score was higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women (10±4 vs 8±2, p=0.026) and in patients with than in those without psychopathological disturbances (11±3 vs 8±4, p=0.006), while no differences were observed between patients at high and low risk for OSAS according to the Berlin questionnaire. <bold>Conclusions:</bold> Sleep alterations are highly prevelent in patients with overweight/obesity in relation with the obesity degree, with a low degree of patients' awareness and with impact on quality of life, indicating the importance of addressing sleep through education. In addition to patients with OSAS, postmenopausal women and patients with psychopathological disorders seem to deserve special attention.