Portuguese-language version of the Epworth sleepiness scale: validation for use in Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to develop a Portuguese-language version of the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) for use in Brazil.


METHODS
The steps involved in creating the ESS in Brazilian Portuguese (ESS-BR) were as follows: translation; back-translation; comparison (by a committee) between the translation and the back-translation; and testing in bilingual individuals. The ESS-BR was applied to a group of patients who were submitted to overnight polysomnography in order to identify obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), insomnia and primary snoring. A control group was composed of subjects with a history of normal sleep habits, without reported snoring.


RESULTS
A total of 114 patients and 21 controls were included. The 8-item scores of the ESS-BR had an overall reliability coefficient of 0.83. The study group was composed of 59 patients with OSAHS, 34 patients with primary snoring and 21 patients with insomnia. One-way ANOVA demonstrated significant differences in ESS-BR scores among the four diagnostic groups (p < 0.001). Post-hoc tests between groups showed that the ESS-BR scores of the patients with insomnia did not differ from those of the controls (p > 0.05). The ESS-BR scores were significantly higher for OSAHS patients and for primary snorers than for controls (p < 0.05). In addition, the scores for OSAHS patients were significantly higher than were those for primary snorers (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study demonstrate that the ESS-BR is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of daytime sleepiness, equivalent to its original version when applied to individuals who speak Brazilian Portuguese.
Bertolazi
Alessandra Naimaier
AN
Santa Maria University Hospital, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil. alessa.bertolazzi@terra.com.br
Fagondes
Simone Chaves
SC
Hoff
Leonardo Santos
LS
Pedro
Vinícius Dallagasperina
VD
Menna Barreto
Sérgio Saldanha
SS
Johns
Murray W
MW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D012913:Snoring / Q000175:diagnosis; D014175:Translating; D055815:Young Adult