Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to do expensive polysomnograms, read incomprehensible charts, and (in the public setting) wait for months for a sleep study? All just to diagnose OSA and say to a patient ok, now we are sure you need treatment. Especially when he's been falling asleep in your waiting room or just come in with head bandaged after his lorry overturned. You know he has OSA.
Well, it seems the people in Brisbane have found a way.
I have been thinking along the lines of a biochemical marker or something that might be detected in the breath. Imagine bus drivers having to check in for a urine test or breathalyser test before they board and you get the idea.
The sleep team in University of Queensland have reported they can HEAR that you have OSA.
I guess I have always had this hunch. Haven't you? There's a rhythmic hiss in the meeting room and you thought it was the air-condition vent until the guy next to you starts nodding. You think the ventilator is leaking when you realise your assistant in OR is stertoring. You know. Nothing scientific. No data to base this on. Just that visceral hunch that there's no way you can be breathing right during sleep if you are hissing with every breath through the day.
But these guys down under have made a science of it and claim over 90% sensitivity and specificity by simply analysing the audio recording of your snore!
Read the Article at HealthJockey.com
Review the scientific papers related to snoring by their lead researcher Dr. Udantha Abeyratne.
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