Screening moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea with wearable device

Area of Science:

• Sleep Medicine
• Respiratory Medicine
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder with significant health risks.
• Polysomnography (PSG) is the standard diagnostic tool, but screening methods have limitations.
• Accurate and accessible screening tools for moderate to severe OSA are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Wellue O2 ring, a commercial pulse oximeter, for screening moderate to severe OSA.
• To compare the oxygen desaturation index (ODI) measured by the O2 ring against PSG.
• To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the Wellue O2 ring for OSA.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 190 adults suspected of OSA.
• Participants underwent PSG with simultaneous use of the Wellue O2 ring.
• Sensitivity, specificity, and ROC curves were calculated to find the optimal ODI cutoff.

Main Results:

• 84.7% of participants had moderate to severe OSA (average AHI of 50.4).
• An 11% ODI cutoff of 1.25 events/hour (lasting 20s) showed 87.30% sensitivity and 78.70% specificity.
• The area under the ROC curve was 0.91, indicating high diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The Wellue O2 ring is an accurate and viable tool for screening moderate to severe OSA in clinical settings.
• Its accessibility and ease of use make it a practical alternative to traditional screening methods.
• Further research is needed to confirm its utility in diagnosing and managing OSA.