In a prospective study, 60 patients were selected by polysomnography (PSG). The apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) was determined 6.5 ± 3.2 days after stroke onset. Neurologic severity at admission was assessed by the Scandinavian Stroke Scale (SSS) and outcome by the Barthel Index (BI). Patients were evaluated on admission, 3 and 6 months after stroke onset.
Among the 60 patients, 39 (65 % ) patients had SDB (AHI 5); of these, 30 patients (50 % ) had AHI 15 and 18 (30 % ) > 30. On Logistic regression analysis, the BI at 3 months was independently predicted by SSS (OR = 0.74, 95 % CI [0.62–0.88], P = 0.001) and AHI (OR = 1.09, 95 % CI [1.02–1.17], P < 0.05). At 6 months, the BI was predicted only by SSS (OR = 0.83, 95 % CI [0.74–0.92], P = 0.001).
SDB is common in patients during acute phase after stroke onset. SDB appears to be associated with a worse functional outcome during the early recovery period following stroke, increasing the likelihood of dependency.