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Case Reports
. 2024 Jan 1;20(1):165-167.
doi: 10.5664/jcsm.10782.

Hallucinations in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: report of 3 cases

Marco Aurelio Venegas  1 , Juan Sebastián Montoya  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Hallucinations in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: report of 3 cases

Marco Aurelio Venegas et al. J Clin Sleep Med. .

Abstract

Hallucinations are false sensory perceptions that occur in the absence of an external stimulus. Three cases of hallucinations related to obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome are reported, 2 of which improved with the initiation of continuous positive airway pressure therapy. So far there are no published reports in the literature that account for this relationship in the absence of primary or structural mental pathology. All 3 reported patients had visual hallucinations that were uncomfortable and frightening. Polysomnography showed moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome with severe oxygen desaturation. Initiation of continuous positive airway pressure therapy achieved control of hallucinations in 2 patients during follow-up. Very little information is available on the coexistence of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome and hallucinations. Observational and experimental studies are required to clarify whether there is a causal relationship between the 2 pathologies as well as the therapeutic role that continuous positive airway pressure may have.

Citation: Venegas MA, Montoya JS. Hallucinations in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: report of 3 cases. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(1):165-167.

Keywords: CPAP; continuous positive airway pressure; hallucinations; sleep apnea syndromes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have seen and approved this manuscript. Work for this study was performed at Somnarum, Bogotá, Colombia. The authors report no conflicts of interest.

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