AI-powered wristband or fingertip clip may revolutionize sleep apnea diagnosis

West Virginia UniversityJun 26 2024

The prototypes include a watch and a fingertip clip, similar to a pulse oximeter that patients wear while sleeping at home. Both use artificial intelligence technology to measure and analyze data collected via an app on a smartphone or tablet. Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, is a common condition in which the airways partially or completely collapse resulting in a decrease in oxygen saturation. Although symptoms include loud snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness, many people are asymptomatic. About 80% of OSA cases throughout the world are undiagnosed.

Those who were diagnosed after additional testing received a PAP -; positive airway pressure -; therapy and were instructed to use it for a minimum of four hours nightly 70% of the time. Assessing patients over six months, researchers found those who were non-adherent to the PAP therapy as prescribed had significantly higher hospital readmissions and emergency room visits for cardiovascular and pulmonary treatment than those who adhered to therapy.

While reasons the disorder goes undetected vary, Sharma said the lack of availability of sleep physicians and sleep lab testing facilities along with low awareness and associated costs to patients play a role.

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