How much Polysomnography is Enough?

Abstract

To meet the standards of the American Thoracic Society, “sleep studies for evaluation of cardiopulmonary sleep disorders should include an assessment of sleep stages, respiratory airflow and effort, arterial oxygen saturation, body position, and periodic leg movements” (Am Rev Respir Dis 1989; 139:559-568). However, in most European countries, there is a discrepancy between the number of patients requiring a sleep study and the number of sleep labs equipped to fulfill the American standards. Thus, the question arises, whether polysomnography is indeed necessary in each and every patient suspected of sleep apnea, or if it is also possible to exclude or confirm this diagnosis by means of simplified sleep studies.