Home sleep apnoea test ''reliable''
24/09/2008
A piece of equipment which can detect sleep apnoea has been described as having a successful trial and was hailed for being "very reliable", it has emerged.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) met in Chicago this week to discuss the latest breakthrough in the obstructive sleep disorder which affects over ten million Americans, with a further ten million believed to be undiagnosed.
A trial used a small and portable device - a Holter oximeter - on 120 people to do home testing in bed, with the results showing a 97 per cent recovery rate during the four-month examination period, with users finding the technology comfortable.
In a statement by the AAO-HNSF, it was noted to be "a new, easy to use and reliable device for the home diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea, useful in measuring outcomes for the surgical and non-surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea in adults and children".
Within the UK, sleep apnoea is quite common and affects men more than women, with 3.5 per cent of males suffering from the disorder compared to 1.5 per cent of females.
