• Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and lung disease have more prominent nocturnal hypoxemia.

• Nocturnal hypoxemia in patients with impaired lung function with co-morbid OSA can enhance the possible mechanisms through which presence of OSA has been associated with adverse outcomes

• Hypoxemia-, sympathetic over-activation-, increased oxidative stress-, and systemic inflammation-related to OSA may exaggerate symptoms associated with COVID-19.

• It can be suggested that presence of OSA may plays a role in the severity of symptoms associated with COVID-19.

• Further investigation in COVID-19 patients with previous diagnosis of OSA is warranted.