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Comparison of a cardiorespiratory device versus polysomnography for diagnosis of sleep apnoea

¹ Sleep Unit, Service of Pneumology, Hospital Txagorritxu, Servicio Vasco de Salud-Osakidetza and ² Research Unit, Dept of Health, Basque Government, Álava, Spain

CORRESPONDENCE: J. Durán, Sleep Unit, Service of Pneumology, Hospital Txagorritxu, José Achótegui s/n, E-01009, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Fax: 34 945007310. E-mail: joaquin.duran@wanadoo.es

Keywords: cardiorespiratory monitoring, obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome, polysomnography

Received: November 22, 2001
Accepted July 12, 2002

This study was supported by a grant from the Dept of Health, Basque Government.

This study assessed the accuracy of a cardiorespiratory monitoring device versus polysomnography for the diagnosis of suspected sleep apnoea/hypoponea syndrome (SAS).

A total of 86 patients (89% male, mean age 52 yrs) that had been referred to a sleep laboratory with a clinical diagnosis of SAS underwent cardiorespiratory polygraphy in an unattended mode using an ambulatory device (MERLIN). Analysis was carried out both automatically and manually. Conventional overnight full-channel polysomnography was performed simultaneously.

Valid polygraphical recordings were obtained from 79 patients. The mean±sd apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) was 34.4±29.2. The results obtained with manual scoring were superior to automatic scoring for all AHI thresholds. For an AHI of 5, which is diagnostic SAS, the optimum cut-off value for the manual respiratory event index was 6.7 and the cardiorespiratory monitoring device had 97.1% sensitivity and 90.9% specificity. Correct classification according to the different cut-off points obtained via polysomnography and the corresponding cut-off points in the MERLIN manual index were confirmed in 90–96% of patients.

The MERLIN device is a useful diagnostic approach for the initial assessment of adult patients with clinical suspicion of sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome. Manual scoring is clearly better than automatic scoring in terms of agreement with the apnoea/hypopnoea index and to discern patients with sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome.

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