Quality of life in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: The impact of sleep disordered breathing

ABSTRACT Purpose the study aims at describing the role of sleep disordered breathing(SDB) on daytime symptoms, quality of sleep and quality of life( QofL QoL) in patients with moderate-severe IPF. Methods we enrolled 34 consecutive room air breathing IPF outpatients who received a full-night polysomnography. The following questionnaires were administered: Epworth Sleepiness Score(ESS), Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index(PSQI), StGeorge's Questionnaire(StGQ). Results patients were classified in 3 groups:Group A(NO-SDB, 9 patients), Group B(OSAS without sleep–related hypoxemia, 17 patients), Group C(OSAS with sleep–related hypoxemia, 8 patients). Although sleep parameters showed no significant differences among the 3 groups, worse measures were found in group C. 50% of patients (17/34) reported a StGQ score indicating a reduced QofL QoL and the StGQ score was significantly higher in group C patients compared to group A(p Conclusions in patients with IPF both subjective and polysomnographic poor sleep quality are extremely common features, they are predicted by variables associated with SBD severity and are linked to low QofL QoL. IPF with more severe SDB present poor sleep quality and a worse QofL QoL compared to SDB-free or OSAS-only.