April 2008

What’s On the Web Site?
As a Sleep Section member, you have access to a wealth of information on the SECTION WEB SITE. Just enter your AARC member number to find:

• Our current quarterly Bulletin, plus an archive of past issues
• An archive of the section eNews newsletters
• Educational resources
• Sign up instructions for our section mailing list
• Sleep links
• Volunteer information
• And much, much more

CMS Approves Home Sleep Testing . . .
The long-awaited decision on home sleep testing for patients suspected of having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is here. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued the final policy on March 13, opening the door to Medicare coverage for beneficiaries who have been diagnosed using a home sleep test. “Our revised policy provides more options for Medicare beneficiaries and their treating physicians,” says CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems. “At the same time, we remain vigilant to ensure that Medicare payments for these services do not create incentives for inappropriate use.” READ PRESS RELEASE READ NATIONAL COVERAGE DECISION

. . . And Labs See Slowed Growth as a Result
How will the decision to cover home testing for OSA affect sleep labs? According to a new report from Wachovia, labs expect to continue to expand bed capacity, but at a slower rate over the next year than they did last year. The survey found bed capacity grew by 29% in the last year, but will expand by only 13% this year. Fifteen percent of respondents said they would reduce bed capacity, and 5% reported plans to close their labs altogether. READ ARTICLE

2008 Sleep in America Poll Highlights Link Between Long Work Hours, Poor Sleep
The latest poll from the National Sleep Foundation turns the spotlight on long work hours and their impact on sleep. According to the results, Americans spend nearly 4.5 hours each week doing additional work at home, resulting in more sleepiness and more sleep-related health problems. Among the findings:

• 29% of those polled reported falling asleep or becoming very sleepy at work in the past month.
• 36% have nodded off or fallen asleep while driving; 32% reported that they drive drowsy at least 1 to 2 times per month and 26% drive drowsy during the workday.
• 20% have sex less often or have lost interest in sex because they are too sleepy.
• 14% have missed family events, work functions, and leisure activities in the past month due to sleepiness.
• 12% were late to work in the past month because of sleepiness.

READ PRESS RELEASE

Sleep Deprivation Useful in Diagnosing Sleepwalking
Canadian researchers find sleep deprivation may be a good way to diagnose sleepwalking. They tested the theory in 40 patients referred to a sleep center for suspected sleepwalking. During baseline testing, 32 behavioral episodes were recorded from 20 of the patients (50%). After 25 hours of no sleep, 92 episodes were recorded from 36 patients (90%). Sleep deprivation also upped the proportion of patients who experienced at least one complex episode. The study appeared in the March issue of the Annals of Neurology. READ ARTICLE

Heart, Kidney Dysfunction Linked to Circadian Rhythm Disorganization
Another new study out of Canada demonstrates the devastating effect of chronic sleep disruption on the heart and kidneys. The research involved hamsters with a short period mutation (tau) of the circadian system. The mutation normally leads to earlier death with cardiomyopathy, extensive fibrosis, and severely impaired contractility, along with severe renal disease. When the investigators placed the hamsters on light cycles appropriate for their genotype (22 hours), cyclic behavioral patterns normalized, cardiorenal phenotype was reversed, and hearts and kidneys showed normal structure and function. “Circadian organization therefore is critical for normal health and longevity whereas chronic global asynchrony is implicated in the etiology of cardiac and renal disease,” write the authors. The report was published in the February 13 Epub edition of the American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. READ ABSTRACT