Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome-Clinical diagnosis versus limited channel diagnostic nocturnal polysomnography

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of detailed history, clinical examination and Mullers manoeuvre compared to limited channel diagnostic nocturnal polysomnography in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. To detect criteria, that will help to clinically identify and assess the severity of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Materials and methods: This is a prospective comparative study of 40 patients who attended outpatient department of ENT with snoring, in the age group of 30 to 60 years. All patients underwent detailed history, clinical examination, and Mullers manoeuvre using flexible nasopharyngolaryngoscopy followed by sleep study. Results: 3 patients wereclinically graded as no OSAS, out of which 2 patients (67%) had no OSAS by sleep study result. 3 patients clinically graded as mild, all had mild OSAS (100%). 6 patients who were graded as moderate, 2 (33%) had mild, 3(50%) had moderate and 1 (17%) had severe OSAS by sleep study results. 28 patients were clinically labelled as severe OSAS, of which 7 (25%) had mild, 5 (18%) had moderate and 16 (57%) had severe OSAS by sleep study results. Conclusion: The grading of OSAS was possible in 60% (24/40) of patients compared with sleep study results although the presence or absence of OSA could be detected in 97.5 % (39/40) of patients using our grading criteria.