Correlation Between Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Using a Portable Device Versus Polysomnography Testing in a Commercial Driving Population

• Published in: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine 2009-10, Vol.51 (10), p.1145-1150
• Main Authors: Watkins, Marc R., Talmage, James B., Thiese, Matthew S., Hudson, Toney B., Hegmann, Kurt T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accuracy; Adult; Automobile drivers; Automobile Driving; Biological and medical sciences; Humans; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Monitoring, Ambulatory - instrumentation; Motor Vehicles; Occupations; ORIGINAL ARTICLES; Pneumology; Polysomnography; Prospective Studies; Respiratory system : syndromes and miscellaneous diseases; Sleep apnea; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - diagnosis; Transportation
• ISSN: 1076-2752; 1536-5948
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181b68d52

Objective: To compare the accuracy of portable monitoring for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with polysomnography (PSG) in commercial drivers. Methods: A consecutive case series of drivers were screened far OSA using recent validated consensus conference criteria at a single occupational medicine clinic; those screening positive were tested with a portable OSA screening device while awaiting PSG. Results: Three hundred forty-six drivers were screened and 34 completed PSG and portable monitoring. Comparing the portable device to PSG at a definition of OSA as an apnea hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15, positive predictive value is 0.64 with a 0.87 negative predictive value. Positive likelihood ratio is 4.20. Linear regression model found statistically significant relationship (P = 0.0004) between the portable device and PSG AHI values. Conclusion: Although not perfect, portable monitoring may be useful in further stratifying risk in drivers who have a high probability of having OSA.