A retrospective study on improvements in nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder following treatment for co-morbid sleep-disordered breathing

Objective: To assess the impact of treatment for co-morbid sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) on patients with nightmares and post-traumatic stress. Met hods: Twenty-three chronic nightmare sufferers (15 with post-traumatic stre ss disorder, PTSD) who also suffered co-morbid SDB (obstructive sleep apnea , OSA, n = 16; upper airway resistance syndrome, UARS, n = 7) completed a t elephone interview, on average, 21 months after having been offered treatme nt for SDB at a university sleep disorders clinic. Results: At follow-up, 1 4 reported maintaining treatment (Treatment Group) and 9 reported discontin uing treatment (No-Treatment Group). More patients in the Treatment Group r eported improvement in sleep (93% vs. 33%) and in daytime well being (93% v s. 33%) compared with those in the No-Treatment group. The Treatment Group reported a median improvement in nightmares of 85% compared with a median 1 0% worsening in the No-Treatment Group. In the PTSD subset (n = 15), nine i n the Treatment Group reported a median 75% improvement in PTSD symptoms wh ereas six in the No-Treatment Group reported a median 43% worsening. Conclu sion: In this small sample of patients. treatment of SDB was associated wit h improvements in nightmares and PTSD. Relationships between nightmares, PT SD and SDB are discussed, (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserve d.