Patients can be diagnosed with sleep apnea at home using a home sleep apnea test (HSAT) or in the sleep lab with polysomnography (PSG). Several studies have found that medically uncomplicated patients at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea that get diagnosed either way have similar CPAP adherence and patient-reported outcomes. For this reason, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that either method can be used in these types of patients.
A team of MyApnea researchers and patients wanted to learn more about this topic. In a structured research setting, patients do well with both types of diagnostic tests. But what about in the real world? Are patients equally satisfied with both options?
The surveys you complete here at MyApnea.Org ask about your experience getting diagnosed and treated outside a structured research setting, in the real world. Survey responses were analyzed from 2563 MyApnea members regarding satisfaction with sleep study experience. The results of these surveys showed that patients who had their studies in-lab were more likely to be satisfied with their experience than patients who had a home sleep test. Specifically, 71% of patients who had their studies in-lab were satisfied with their experience versus 60% of patients who had a home sleep tests. These new results suggest that the comparison of in-lab PSG to home-based tests needs to be re-examined. More “real-world” studies assessing patient preferences and satisfaction regarding sleep apnea care are needed. You can read more about these published research findings.
The MyApnea research team wants to thank you for your contribution. We were able to learn something new about sleep apnea diagnosis because you completed the research surveys. Together, we are helping the sleep apnea community continue to learn and improve. Our research team just launched new surveys. Contribute to new research today by visiting the research page!
I had a home test and loved the convenience, the new machines are very smart a lab titrations is a thing of the past. I am sure an overnight sleep study has some value but on a case by case basis. The more people that can get diagnosed and treated the better. I have been using CPAP for a couple months and it is night and day.
For myself, I would really like to try the "at home test", as every time I went to a clinic, the setting was way different that what I was used to. During the tests, I would not go to sleep until very late in the evening, compared to falling asleep right away when at home. I feel that this change did effect the outcome. Granted there are quite a few things that can affect your sleep, temperature, humidity, light, noise, smells as well as the mattress. Years ago, I would sleep on a water bed and in the summer months, I would put the sheets over top of the water bed bag liner thus making it cool so the water would drain the heat from my body. I slept like a baby. In the winter months, I would add a sleeping bag over top of the liner, then put the sheets over top of the sleeping bag, making it super cozy. Again, excellent sleep with no heat or cooling issues. Ear plugs also do work for the noise and an eye cover also helps with the light issue. Boy, I really miss that bed!
