To provide an update on recent research on depression and anxiety in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

Methods – A review was carried out on reports drawn from MEDLINE and PSYCHLIT (January 1995–June 2006) and identified from their list of references. The selection criteria were met by 55 articles.

Sample sizes in the reviewed studies varied widely and consisted mainly of working age men. Depression and anxiety were mostly evaluated with commonly used mood scales; only a few studies provided a psychiatric diagnosis. Prevalence figures fluctuated considerably for both depression (7–63%) and anxiety (11–70%). The effect of the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on mood was inconsistent.

Conclusions – Variations in the prevalence of depression and anxiety are affected by patient characteristics, mood assessment methods, and overlap between mood alterations and OSAS-related symptoms. CPAP might improve mood alterations but more long-term follow-up studies are needed to verify the effectiveness.

 
• T. Saunamäki  
• M. Jehkonen

Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
Department of Psychology, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland