title: Relationship quality of persons with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.
abstract: In the field of sleep disorders, the quality of couple relationship is arousing increasing attention, given its implications for quality of life and treatment adherence. The aim of the present study was to evaluate relationship quality in a sample of treated or untreated patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome. Eighty-seven patients were recruited in a hospital-based Centre for Sleep Medicine. Subjects were administered the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) to evaluate relationship quality, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Apnoea-hypopnoea indexes (AHI) were collected through nocturnal polysomnography or home testing with a portable monitoring device. Although the DAS average scores were similar to local normative values, relationship quality was significantly lower in the untreated patients when compared with the ones treated. The ESS scores showed a negative correlation with many DAS scores, whereas no significant correlation emerged for AHI. Such data suggest a significant impact of perceived sleep apnoea symptoms on marital satisfaction, even though in the absence of striking differences between the whole sample and the general population.
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Sleep Medicine, Neurology Unit , Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tramonti
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Sleep Medicine, Neurology Unit , Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Michelangelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maestri
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Sleep Medicine, Neurology Unit , Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carnicelli
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Sleep Medicine, Neurology Unit , Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fava
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Sleep Medicine, Neurology Unit , Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Sleep Medicine, Neurology Unit , Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Sleep Medicine, Neurology Unit , Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fabbrini
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Sleep Medicine, Neurology Unit , Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Coscio
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Sleep Medicine, Neurology Unit , Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Iacopini
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Sleep Medicine, Neurology Unit , Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonanni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000523:psychology; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome; relationship quality; symptom perception