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S20 From clinic to click – digital obstructive sleep apnoea identifier pathway

thoraxjnl · 2025-11-02 · canonical JSON source

8 visible annotations · policy: published · automated confidence ≥ 75.00%

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Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is the most common chronic respiratory disorder, affecting an estimated 1 billion people worldwide. Current OSA models of care are cumbersome and characterised by unacceptable waiting times. Digital innovation of OSA care, leveraging home-based sleep studies and remote data analysis, could expedite diagnosis and treatment, potentially enhancing patient experience and outcomes.This pilot study sought to streamline the diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnoea in a tertiary hospital in Ireland. Through a fully remote digital pathway, patients were invited to download a bespoke app and complete a series of symptom questionnaires. Thereafter, they underwent a home sleep study, followed by a video consultation with a sleep specialist.This pilot study took place over 17-month period. 187 appointments were offered. Of 109 home sleep studies completed; 85 (78%) revealed an AHI of ≥ 5 events per hour [24 patients with AHI 5–15 events per hour, 28 patients with AHI 15–30 per hour, 33 patients with AHI ≥30 events per hour]. Of these 85 participants, 56 (65.8%) were referred for CPAP therapy. Overall average nightly usage was 5.8 hours, 48 patients (56%) remain adherent to therapy at 6 months. Average time from referral to virtual review was 5.4 months.The results from this pilot study are promising, with significant reduction in waiting times and expedited diagnoses of OSA in the majority of patients reviewed. To strengthen the findings, future studies should include assessment of patient-related outcomes such as patient satisfaction, experience and adherence and CPAP therapy when compared to standard of care pathways.