New clinical pathway uncovers OSA

Editor's Note

Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals, Philadelphia, have created a clinical pathway to identify obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in hospitalized patients with known risks.

The pathway involved a questionnaire and overnight pulse-oximetry testing. Patients with a high oxygen desaturation index were recommended to undergo overnight polysomnography. Of those who followed up with the polysomnography, 87% were diagnosed with OSA.

The researchers were able to show that pulse-oximetry, a simple low-cost device, correlates well with polysomnography and may be a cost-effective strategy to screen for OSA.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.4842 1Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Jefferson Sleep Disorders Center, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA; 2Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Center, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA; 3East Carolina Heart Institute, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University,