Prolonged Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sleep Medicine Services-Longitudinal Data from the Swedish Sleep Apnea Registry

Ludger Grote; Jenny Theorell-Haglöw; Martin Ulander; Jan Hedner

doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2021.05.008

Prolonged Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sleep Medicine Services-Longitudinal Data from the Swedish Sleep Apnea Registry

Sleep Med Clin. 2021 Sep;16(3):409-416. doi: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2021.05.008. Epub 2021 Jun 1.

Authors

Ludger Grote¹, Jenny Theorell-Haglöw², Martin Ulander³, Jan Hedner⁴

Affiliations

¹ Center for Sleep and Vigilance Disorders, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 8B, Box 421, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; Respiratory Department, Sleep Disorders Center, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 41345 Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: ludger.grote@lungall.gu.se.
² Department of Medical Sciences, Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Akademiska sjukhuset ing 40, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden; Respiratory Department, The Sleep Apnea Center, Uppsala University Hospital, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden.
³ Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Linköping University Hospital, 58185 Linköping, Sweden; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Linköping University, 58185 Linköping, Sweden.
⁴ Center for Sleep and Vigilance Disorders, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 8B, Box 421, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; Respiratory Department, Sleep Disorders Center, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 41345 Gothenburg, Sweden.

Abstract

The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has affected the operation of health care systems. The direct impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on COVID-19 infection outcome remains to be elucidated. However, the coincidence of common risk factors for OSA and severe COVID-19 suggests that patients with OSA receiving positive airway pressure therapy may have an advantage relative to those untreated when confronted with a COVID-19 infection. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to a substantial reduction of sleep medicine services, and the long-term consequences may be considerable. New strategies for the management of sleep disorders are needed to overcome the current underdiagnosis and delay of treatment.

Keywords: CPAP; Delivery of health care; Diagnosis; Mandibular advancement device; Obstructive sleep apnea; Polysomnography; SARS-COV2; Sleep test.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / epidemiology
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Pandemics*
Registries
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* / epidemiology
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* / therapy
Sleep Medicine Specialty* / statistics & numerical data
Sweden / epidemiology