Sleep apnea symptoms and accident risk factors in Persian commercial vehicle drivers

• Published in: Sleep & breathing 2012-03, Vol.16 (1), p.187-191
• Main Authors: Amra, Babak, Dorali, Reza, Mortazavi, Salehe, Golshan, Mohammad, Farajzadegan, Ziba, Fietze, Ingo, Penzel, Thomas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidents; Accidents, Traffic - statistics & numerical data; Adult; Anthropometry; Biological and medical sciences; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentistry; Disorders of Excessive Somnolence - diagnosis; Disorders of Excessive Somnolence - epidemiology; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; driving ability; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Head and neck surgery. Maxillofacial surgery. Dental surgery. Orthodontics; Historical account; Humans; Internal Medicine; Iran; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Mortality; Motor Vehicles; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Occupational Diseases - diagnosis; Occupational Diseases - epidemiology; Original Article; Otorhinolaryngology; Pediatrics; Pneumology/Respiratory System; Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Sleep apnea; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - diagnosis; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - epidemiology; Sleep. Vigilance; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the upper aerodigestive tract; Surveys and Questionnaires; Traffic accidents & safety; Truck drivers; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 1520-9512; 1522-1709
• DOI: 10.1007/s11325-010-0473-x

Background Motor vehicle accidents are the second highest cause of mortality in Iran. Sleep apnea symptoms have been associated with increased risk of motor vehicle accidents in other countries. However, we have limited data in Iran. We conducted a study to evaluate sleep apnea symptoms and sleepiness in professional drivers and to assess the predictors of motor vehicle accidents in Iran. Methods A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of drivers was done in Shahrekord, Iran. This study used a self-administered questionnaire that included personal information, the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), the Berlin questionnaire, and history of previous automobile accidents. Nine hundred thirty-one male drivers (62% of invited drivers), aged 40.2 ± 10.1 years (mean±SD), were included in the study. The mean number of hours spent driving was 48.9 h/week. The median distance covered weekly was 2,905 km/week. Statistical analysis included logistic models with covariate-adjusted P values of