Abstract Details

We performed a retrospective analysis of the in-laboratory polysomnography and clinical data of 21 NAION patients (mean age 63.6 ± 9.7 years, 33.3% male, and mean BMI 29.4 ± 5.4 kg/m²). We also analyzed subjective NAION symptoms and sleep quality features. Furthermore, we compared the polysomnographic and clinical data of the NAION patients to 21 control patients free of neurological disease and 21 lacunar ischemic stroke patients, with all three groups matched for age, sex, and BMI.

We found no significant differences in the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), mean apnea length, and minimum oxygen saturation between groups, despite the significantly higher vascular risk burden in the lacunar stroke group. We also found no significant differences among the three groups in the total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency, number of awakenings, percentage of TST spent in each sleep stage (N1, N2, N3, and REM), arousal index, and the periodic limb movement index.

Our research did not reveal any significant relationship between NAION and both OSA and non-OSA sleep disorders, when comparing NAION patients to age, sex and BMI-matched controls who were free of neurological disease or had sustained a lacunar stroke. The pathophysiological connection between NAION and sleep disturbances remains unclear, and a larger prospective study is required for future investigations. The negative results of our study bring into question the referral of all NAION patients for sleep assessment.