Non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy and presumed sleep apnoea syndrome screened by the Sleep Apnea scale of the Sleep Disorders Questionnaire (SA-SDQ).
BACKGROUND
Two recent studies reported over 70% of the patients with non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) had sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS) diagnosed by overnight polysomnography. The current study used the Sleep Apnea scale of the Sleep Disorders Questionnaire (SA-SDQ) to evaluate this association.


METHODS
A matched case-control study was conducted among 73 cases of NAION matched on age and gender to 73 controls without a history of NAION. Information regarding demographics, medical conditions, health behaviours and SAS was obtained via a telephone questionnaire that included the SA-SDQ. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between NAION and the SA-SDQ.


RESULTS
Cases were significantly more likely to report symptoms and characteristics consistent with SAS than controls (OR 2.62; 95% CI 1.03 to 6.60) when adjusted for medical and health behaviour characteristics.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that patients with SAS are at increased risk of NAION. Additional research in a larger population is needed to confirm the observed results and validate the use of the SA-SDQ in patients with NAION.
Li
Jian
J
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 700 S. 18th Street, Suite 609, Birmingham, AL 35294-0009, USA.
McGwin
Gerald
G
Vaphiades
Michael S
MS
Owsley
Cynthia
C
D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018917:Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000150:complications*; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires