The “silent threat” of nocturnal hypoxia remains unresolved for patients with fibrotic interstitial lung diseases

Abstract

Extract Sleep is an inherent and vital state of rest for both the body and mind. While it is recommended that adults get 7–8 h of sleep, patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD) often experience poor sleep quality and shorter sleep duration [1–4]. Notably, nocturnal hypoxia is widely recognised as a comorbidity that occurs during sleep [5]. The most significant issue with nocturnal hypoxia is not only its impact on worsening sleep quality but also its contribution to the deterioration of pulmonary hypertension and the resulting poor prognosis [5]. Despite the acknowledgement of this issue by many clinicians and researchers, the management still lacks large-scale clinical trials, resulting in a lack of clear recommendations [6].