January 2009

Section Congratulates 2008 Specialty Practitioner of the Year
The Sleep Section was proud to bestow its 2008 Specialty Practitioner of the Year award on David Frederick Wolfe, MSEd, RRT, RPSGT, AE-C. Look for an article on David and his accomplishments in the Winter issue of the Bulletin, which will be published next month.

Two New Initiatives Tackle Drowsy Driving
Philips Respironics is working to help the trucking industry ensure safety on the roads through a new program called “Sleep Well, Drive Safe.” The program will raise awareness of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the effects it can have on truck drivers, and will also help trucking companies achieve a reduction in driver turnover, liability premiums, and costs related to accidents attributable to fatigue caused by OSA. The program is based on five key elements: education, screening, testing, therapy, and compliance. LEARN MORE

The National Sleep Foundation is shedding light on drowsy driving as well in a new report based on surveys conducted in all 50 states. The State of the States Report on Drowsy Driving confirms that motor vehicle crashes caused by drowsy driving continue to be underrecognized due to a lack of uniformity in crash reporting among states. READ REPORT

Sleep and Sight: There is a Link
Mayo Clinic researchers who reviewed the medical literature on sleep disorders and eye conditions find OSA has been linked to a number of eye diseases, including glaucoma, nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, floppy eyelid syndrome, papilledema, and CPAP–associated eye complications. Results also suggest an association between blindness and increased risk of circadian rhythm disorders. “The knowledge of these associations is important for the primary care physician, ophthalmologist, and sleep physician so that underlying sleep disorders or ophthalmologic disorders can be detected,” conclude the authors. The report appeared in the November issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. READ ABSTRACT

DME MACs Include Watch-PAT in LCDs
In a move that surprised many in the industry, the DME MACs have included the Watch-PAT in their revised Local Coverage Determinations. A recent news article quoted the DME MAC letter to physicians: “Type IV home sleep studies are acceptable when performed by devices that either directly or indirectly allow calculation of an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) or respiratory disturbance index (RDI). Devices that allow direct calculation of AHI/RDI by measuring airflow or thoracoabdominal movement are acceptable. The only currently acceptable Type IV device that indirectly allows calculation of an AHI/RDI are the Watch-PAT devices (Itamar Medical), effective for tests conducted on or after January 1, 2009.” READ ARTICLE

Army Investigators Find Fewer Apnea Events in Slow Wave Sleep
An abstract presented last fall at CHEST 2008 confirms what many sleep technologists have suspected for many years: slow wave sleep may protect against events related to sleep apnea. Researchers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center came to that conclusion after analyzing polysomnography results for 30 patients diagnosed with OSA. Results showed significantly fewer apnea events in stage 3 and stage 4 slow wave sleep than in stage 1 or stage 2 slow wave sleep. The investigators suggest prolonging slow wave sleep via pharmacology could help alleviate OSA symptoms. READ ABSTRACT (Scroll down to Abstract #6890)