Employer-mandated sleep apnea screening and diagnosis in commercial drivers.

Berger, Mark; Varvarigou, Vasileia; Rielly, Albert; Czeisler, Charles A; Malhotra, Atul; Kales, Stefanos N · J Occup Environ Med · 2012

retrospective_cohort · Level III

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Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common among commercial drivers and associated with health/safety risks, leading several trucking firms to mandate OSA screening. A total of 19,371 commercial drivers were screened for OSA with an online questionnaire (Somni-Sage reg) through employer mandates. Questionnaire and polysomnography results were analyzed retrospectively. Screening categorized 5908 drivers (30%) as higher risk. To date, employers have sent 2103 higher-risk drivers for polysomnography, demonstrating that 68% of high-risk drivers tested had an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) greater than 10 and 80% had an AHI of 5 or more. A conservative prevalence estimate for OSA (AHI > 10) was 21% among the drivers studied. Online screening followed by polysomnography for high-risk drivers demonstrates as many as 21% of commercial drivers may have OSA. Mandatory screening can have a high yield among commercial drivers.

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