Search

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is characterised by pharyngeal obstruction occurring at different sites. Endoscopic studies reveal that epiglottic collapse renders patients at higher risk of failed oral appliance therapy or accentuated collapse on continuous positive airway pressure. Diagnosing epiglottic collapse currently requires invasive studies (imaging and endoscopy). As an alternative, we propose that epiglottic collapse can be detected from the distinct airflow patterns it produces during sleep.23 OSA patients underwent natural sleep endoscopy. 1232 breaths were scored as epiglottic/nonepiglottic collapse. Several flow characteristics were determined from the flow signal (recorded simultaneously with endoscopy) and used to build a predictive model to distinguish epiglottic from nonepiglottic collapse. Additionally, 10 OSA patients were studied to validate the pneumotachograph flow features using nasal pressure signals.Epiglottic collapse was characterised by a rapid fall(s) in the inspiratory flow, more variable inspiratory and expiratory flow and reduced tidal volume. The cross-validated accuracy was 84%. Predictive features obtained from pneumotachograph flow and nasal pressure were strongly correlated.This study demonstrates that epiglottic collapse can be identified from the airflow signal measured during a sleep study. This method may enable clinicians to use clinically collected data to characterise underlying physiology and improve treatment decisions., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: Disclosures can be found alongside this article at erj.ersjournals.com, (Copyright ©ERS 2017.)

Introduction: Environmental noise is recognized by the World Health Organization as a significant public health concern, negatively impacting human health and well-being. To address and better understand these effects, the "De Oorzaak" citizen science project was initiated in Flanders, Belgium. Objective: This study aims to assess the effects of environmental noise on health, stress, and sleep among the Flemish population. It also seeks to explore the relationship between sound sensitivity and sociodemographic factors. Material and methods: A comprehensive population-level questionnaire was administered to thousands of Flemish residents over a one-month period. This survey included questions on quality of life, health status, stress levels, sleep quality, and detailed sociodemographic information. Additionally, a subset of 100 participants from Antwerp underwent an extensive audiological test battery. This included self-report questionnaires, audiometry, and a newly developed diagnostic test for hyperacusis utilizing natural sounds. Participants were categorized into two groups based on their scores from the Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ): with or without hyperacusis. Results: Data collection is ongoing, and preliminary analysis focuses on the correlation between various measures of sound sensitivity and other demographic variables. Conclusions: The "De Oorzaak" project leverages citizen science to generate a rich dataset that will enhance our understanding of the public health implications of environmental noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]