Management of obstructive sleep apnea in Europe – A 10-year follow-up

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  • Ingo Fietze
  • Naima Laharnar
  • Panagiotis Bargiotas
  • Ozen K. Basoglu
  • Zoran Dogas
  • Marta Drummond
  • Francesco Fanfulla
  • Thorarinn Gislason
  • Haralampos Gouveris
  • Ludger Grote
  • Holger Hein
  • Pavol Joppa
  • Klaas van Kralingen
  • John Arthur Kvamme
  • Carolina Lombardi
  • Ondrej Ludka
  • Wolfgang Mallin
  • Oreste Marrone
  • Walter T. McNicholas
  • Stefan Mihaicuta
  • Josep Montserrat
  • Giora Pillar
  • Athanasia Pataka
  • Winfried Randerath
  • Renata L. Riha
  • Gabriel Roisman
  • Tarja Saaresranta
  • Sophia E. Schiza
  • Pawel Sliwinski
  • Juris Svaza
  • Paschalis Steiropoulos
  • Renauld Tamisier
  • Dries Testelmans
  • Georgia Trakada
  • Johan Verbraecken
  • Rolandas Zablockis
  • Thomas Penzel

Objective: In 2010, a questionnaire-based study on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) management in Europe identified differences regarding reimbursement, sleep specialist qualification, and titration procedures. Now, 10 years later, a follow-up study was conducted as part of the ESADA (European Sleep Apnea Database) network to explore the development of OSA management over time. Methods: The 2010 questionnaire including questions on sleep diagnostic, reimbursement, treatment, and certification was updated with questions on telemedicine and distributed to European Sleep Centers to reflect European OSA management practice. Results: 26 countries (36 sleep centers) participated, representing 20 ESADA and 6 non-ESADA countries. All 21 countries from the 2010 survey participated. In 2010, OSA diagnostic procedures were performed mainly by specialized physicians (86%), whereas now mainly by certified sleep specialists and specialized physicians (69%). Treatment and titration procedures are currently quite homogenous, with a strong trend towards more Autotitrating Positive Airway Pressure treatment (in hospital 73%, at home 62%). From 2010 to 2020, home sleep apnea testing use increased (76%–89%) and polysomnography as sole diagnostic procedure decreased (24%–12%). Availability of a sleep specialist qualification increased (52%–65%) as well as the number of certified polysomnography scorers (certified physicians: 36%–79%; certified technicians: 20%–62%). Telemedicine, not surveyed in 2010, is now in 2020 used in diagnostics (8%), treatment (50%), and follow-up (73%). Conclusion: In the past decade, formal qualification of sleep center personnel increased, OSA diagnostic and treatment procedures shifted towards a more automatic approach, and telemedicine became more prominent.

Original languageEnglish
JournalSleep Medicine
Volume97
Pages (from-to)64-72
Number of pages9
ISSN1389-9457
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors

    Research areas

  • Diagnostic, Europe, Follow-up, HSAT, Polysomnography, Sleep apnea, Telemedicine, Therapy

ID: 331324605