The task force members’ summary statement regarding the assessment of driving risk in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients
| Statement for clinicians advising on fitness to drive in OSA patients |
| OSA severity assessed as AHI alone does not predict fitness to drive in OSA patients |
| Excessive sleepiness is a major risk factor in determining accident risk in OSA, but does not relate to AHI and may be partly due to other non-OSA factors |
| Where doubt exists regarding the validity of self-reported sleepiness, further investigation, such as MWT, is warranted, especially in professional drivers |
| Effective and compliant treatment of OSA with CPAP largely reverses the increased accident risk and driving can resume once demonstrated |
AHI: apnoea–hypopnoea index; MWT: Maintenance of Wakefulness Test; CPAP: continuous positive airway pressure.