Economic Implications of the Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Allan I. Pack
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1999)

Editorials16 March 1999Economic Implications of the Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep ApneaAllan I. Pack, MB, ChB, PhD and Indira Gurubhagavatula, MD, MPHAllan I. Pack, MB, ChB, PhDUniversity of Pennsylvania Medical Center; Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283 and Indira Gurubhagavatula, MD, MPHUniversity of Pennsylvania Medical Center; Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-130-6-199903160-00019 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail The past decade has witnessed considerable accumulation of evidence indicating just how common the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is. The most definitive study to date, the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study, estimates that 4% of middle-aged adult men and 2% of middle-aged adult women have symptomatic sleep apnea (1). Prevalence rates in persons older than 65 years are even higher (2). Moreover, evidence of morbidity associated with this condition is growing. Obstructive sleep apnea causes excessive daytime sleepiness (3, 4), and, in prospective studies, an increased risk for vehicular crashes has been demonstrated in men (5). Sleep apnea is a risk ...References1. Young T, Palta M, Dempsey J, Skatrud J, Weber S, Badr S. The occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing among middle-aged adults. N Engl J Med. 1993;328:1230-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Ancoli-Israel S, Kripke DF, Klauber MR, Mason WJ, Fell R, Kaplan O. Sleep-disordered breathing in community-dwelling elderly. Sleep. 1991;14:486-95. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Strohl KP, Redline S. Recognition of obstructive sleep apnea. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1996; 154(2 Pt 1):279-89. Google Scholar4. Pack AI. Obstructive sleep apnea. Adv Intern Med. 1994;39:517-67. MedlineGoogle Scholar5. Young T, Blustein J, Finn L, Palta M. Sleep-disordered breathing and motor vehicle accidents in a population-based sample of employed adults. Sleep. 1997;20:608-13. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Wright J, Johns R, Watt I, Melville A, Sheldon T. Health effects of obstructive sleep apnoea and the effectiveness of continuous positive airways pressure: a systematic review of the research evidence. BMJ. 1997;314:851-60. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Young T, Evans L, Finn L, Palta M. Estimation of the clinically diagnosed proportion of sleep apnea syndrome in middle-aged men and women. Sleep. 1997;20:705-6. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Chervin RD, Murman DL, Malow BA, Totten V. Cost-utility of three approaches to the diagnosis of sleep apnea: polysomnography, home testing, and empirical therapy. Ann Intern Med. 1999;130:496-505. LinkGoogle Scholar9. Sullivan CE, Issa FG, Berthon-Jones M, Eves L. Reversal of obstructive sleep apnea by continuous positive airway pressure applied through the nares. Lancet. 1981;1:862-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Tousignant P, Cosio MG, Levy RD, Groome PA. Quality adjusted life years added by treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep. 1994;17:52-60. MedlineGoogle Scholar11. Collard P, Pieters T, Aubert G, Delguste P, Rodenstein D. Compliance with nasal CPAP in obstructive sleep apnea patients. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 1997;1:33-4. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of Pennsylvania Medical Center; Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283Corresponding Author: Allan I. Pack, MB, ChB, PhD, Center for Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 991 Maloney Building, 3600 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283.Current Author Addresses: Dr. Pack: Center for Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 991 Maloney Building, 3600 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283.Dr. Gurubhagavatula: Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Department of Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 991 Maloney Building, 3600 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoCost-Utility of Three Approaches to the Diagnosis of Sleep Apnea: Polysomnography, Home Testing, and Empirical Therapy Ronald D. Chervin , Daniel L. Murman , Beth A. Malow , and Vicken Totten Metrics Cited byHome sleep study for patients with myasthenia gravisAcoustical flow estimation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea during SleepPortable Recording in the Diagnosis and Management of Sleep-Disordered Breathing: Unanswered Questions and Future ResearchSleep apnea monitoring and diagnosis based on pulse oximetery and tracheal sound signalsAcoustic obstructive sleep apnea detectionAutomated detection of sleep disordered breathing using a nasal pressure monitoring deviceEffect of Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy on Health-related Quality of Life in Sleep Apnoea Patients Treated in the Routine Clinical Setting of a University HospitalEconomics of Home MonitoringBlind Source Separation for Ambulatory Sleep RecordingHome Studies for Diagnosing Sleep Apnea Hypopnea SyndromeObstructive sleep apnea in the adult obese patient: implications for airway managementThe Prevalence, Cost Implications, and Management of Sleep Disorders: An OverviewHome Unattended vs Hospital Telemonitored Polysomnography in Suspected Obstructive Sleep Apnea SyndromeA Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Alternative At-Home or In-Laboratory Technologies for the Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea SyndromeTelemedicine in the Sleep Laboratory: Feasibility and Economic Advantages of Polysomnograms Transferred OnlineApplication of Telemedicine to Sleep MedicineObstructive sleep apnea in the adult obese patient: implications for airway management 16 March 1999Volume 130, Issue 6Page: 533-534KeywordsCohort studiesContinuous positive airway pressureHealth careHospital medicinePolysomnographyQuality adjusted life yearsSleepSleep apneaSleep disordersTreatment guidelines Issue Published: 16 March 1999 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1999 by American College of Physicians. 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