Lower cost sleep apnoea diagnosis feasible:

Simple nocturnal oximetry measurements are effective for diagnosing sleep apnoea hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) and can avoid the need for expensive and time-consuming polysomnographs, according to Spanish researchers. Reporting in the November edition of Thorax, a team from Hospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante assessed 275 patients with suspected SAHS and diagnosed the condition in 216 cases. The positive predictive value of oximetry was between 97% and 99%, depending on what cut-off points of oxygen desaturation were used. Sensitivity was 63% to 80%, specificity was 89% to 96% and negative predictive value was 38% to 48%.