How to score a respiratory polygraphy? The american academy of sleep medicine rules

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is a disorder characterized by repetitive events of total or partial obstruction of the pharynx present during sleep; It is a public health problem due to the complications it generates and the large number of people affected. Polysomnography as a standard of reference for diagnosis is expensive and unavailable, so it has not resolved the need for a massive diagnosis for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome; for this reason, respiratory polygraphy has emerged as a useful, valid and accessible diagnostic alternative. There are different types of polygraphs but the most common are those that define respiratory events using the signals of respiratory flow, effort and pulse oximetry. The objective of this document is to describe the scoring rules for respiratory polygraphs based on the flow and/or effort signals (with no sleep stages and arousals evaluation) for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in adults, according to the 2.6 version of American Academy of Sleep Medicine Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events.