Examining the Relationship Between Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Suicide Risk in Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury: A VA TBI Model Systems Study

Abstract

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder in people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although sleep disturbances have been associated with an increased risk of suicide compared with the general population, the relationship between OSA and suicide risk after TBI is not well documented. In this study, we hypothesized that OSA diagnosis would predict suicide risk in veterans with TBI. Setting: Five Veterans Affairs (VA) Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers. Participants: Participants were drawn from the VA TBI Model Systems study, with follow-up interviews at year 1 (n = 392), year 2 (n = 444), year 5 (n = 498), or year 10 (n = 252) post-TBI (7.8%-14.5% follow-up attrition). Design: This was a retrospective analysis from observational data using logistic regression with repeated measurements. Suicide ideation and suicide attempts were examined as outcomes at each follow-up to evaluate the relationship between OSA and suicide risk after adjusting for other risk factors determined a priori via literature review. Main Measures: Suicidal ideation (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item 9), suicide attempt during the past year (self-reported), and OSA diagnosis (self-reported). Results: Contrary to study hypotheses, OSA diagnosis had no statistically significant association with suicide ideation or attempt after accounting for known predictors. However, greater depression symptoms, headache severity, and pre-TBI suicidal ideation and attempts predicted suicide risk at follow-up after accounting for other predictors. Conclusions: Results of this study did not support a relationship between OSA and suicide risk, possibly due to methodological limitations of OSA measurement. Future research on this topic should include objective measures of OSA severity and OSA treatment including adherence. Although suicide is a low base rate occurrence, the impact is disastrous and further research is needed to mitigate suicide risk.