Assessing Sleep and Mental Health Disorders in COPD Patients During Severe Exacerbations

Introduction : Acute exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) often lead to short-term hospitalization of patients. The sleep health of hospitalized COPD patients is an overlooked element within the inpatient setting. The objective of this study is to assess and define the prevalence of sleep and mental health complaints in patients admitted to a hospital with acute exacerbation of COPD. Methods : In this prospective study, patients admitted with a COPD exacerbation at a local community hospital were administered a variety of questionnaires pertaining to sleep and mental health, including the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Questionnaires were administered in a stable steady state on discharge. Results : 53 patients filled out the questionnaires. 50.9% of patients reported poor sleep quality with scores indicative of chronic insomnia, and 41.2% of patients reported excessive daytime sleepiness on the PSQI. 64% of patients indicated abnormal total scores (<18) on the FOSQ, and 84.3% reported severe impairment in social outcomes. Clinical depression BDI scores >9) was observed in 73% of patients. Conclusion : Our results indicate a significant prevalence of sleep and mental health comorbidities in patients hospitalized for acute COPD exacerbations and highlight the need for screening tools and clinical interventions to reduce the burden of these comorbidities.