Use of a Remote-Monitoring System to Diagnose and Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea-hypopnea
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Obstructive Sleep Apnea-hypopnea focused on measuring Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea, Telemedicine
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients referred for a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea at the Sleep Disorders Program, University of British Columbia. All patients with documented moderate to severe OSAH (AHI≥15 events per hour by PSG) who are prescribed CPAP by their regular sleep physician, and who are willing to accept a trial of CPAP would potentially eligible for the trial.
- Patients must also provide a telephone number that would allow contact during regular office hours if necessary. Patients must also have access to a telephone line in their bedroom that can be used to transmit data with the modem.
- We have decided to only study patients with moderate to severe disease, as these are the patients who are most at risk of future CV disease and motor vehicle crashes. As such, we believe that improving CPAP compliance in this group of patients would be especially important.
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients will be excluded from participating if they:
- Are unable/unwilling to provide informed consent
- Have active cardiopulmonary or psychiatric disease
- Have previously been treated for OSA, or
- Do not reside in the greater Vancouver area.
Sites / Locations
- Sleep Disorders Program, UBC Hospital
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
No Intervention
Experimental
1
2
This pathway represents our standard clinical protocol when a patient has been diagnosed with sleep apnea and CPAP therapy is initiated. After prescription of CPAP, all patients will be seen by our CPAP coordinator and oriented to the device during a 20 minute session. Patients are also provided the telephone number of the CPAP coordinator who can be contacted if any problems or questions arise.
Telemedicine involves the provision or support of direct clinical care via the application of electronic and communicating technology, including the remote monitoring of health status. By providing patient data early in the course of CPAP prescription, we believe that this technology would be immensely useful in improving compliance and acceptance of the device in patients with sleep apnea.