Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major health problem due to its prevalence rates of 2–4% in middle-aged people [1] and significant morbidity [2, 3] and mortality [4] reported in patients with this condition. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an effective treatment commonly prescribed for symptomatic patients with obstructive sleep apnea. It is costeffective [5] and reduces daytime sleepiness [6], rates of motor vehicle accidents [7], and blood pressure [8]. The American Thoracic Society [9] and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine [10] recommend supervised polysomnography (PSG) in the sleep laboratory over two nights for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea and initiation of CPAP. This approach to a highly prevalent condition results in inevitable discrepancies between the demand for services and the current capacity of sleep laboratories [11]. Because the treatment of sleep apnea provides many benefits to patients and society, it is imperative to develop strategies that are less complex than the traditional approach based on PSG to expedite the diagnosis and treatment of patients with OSA.

The ApneaLink is a two-channel screening tool for sleep apnea. The device consists of a nasal cannula attached to a small case that houses a pressure transducer and a pulse oximeter. It is held in place by a belt worn around the user's chest. It has good potential as a simple screening device, particularly because it allows the manual review and scoring of the raw data. There are several reports which have evaluated the performance of the automatic analysis of nasal pressure from the ApneaLink device against polysomnography to diagnosis sleep apnea [12–15]. Furthermore, we have recently demonstrated that the manual analysis of data using an AHI (ApneaLink) and an RDI (PSG) ≥5 as criteria for OSA has showed a sensitivity and specificity nearly 90% [16]. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the medical decision based on the results of the hand scoring from a two-channel recording device (ApneaLink) plus clinical data (excessive daytime sleepiness, cardiovascular comorbidities, and type 2 diabetes) for the prescription of CPAP in patients with suspected OSA.

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• To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the medical decision based on the results of the hand scoring from a two-channel recording device (ApneaLink) plus clinical data for the prescription of a CPAP assay in patients with suspected OSA. 39 subjects were assessed in the sleep laboratory with polysomnography and ApneaLink.
• ResMed’s ApneaLink Air™ provides performance and reliability in our most compact, lightweight and easy-to-use home sleep testing device ever. A cost-efficient, type III home sleep testing device, the ApneaLink Air is capable of recording up to five channels of information: respiratory effort, pulse, oxygen saturation, nasal flow and snoring.

Home Sleep Testing. Patient Instructions VirtuOx Patient Support: (877) 897-0063 www.virtuox.net Testing process is time sensitive. You must complete the testing and return the kit within 48 hours of receipt. Home Sleep Testing. Patient Instructions VirtuOx Patient Support: (877) 897-0063 www.virtuox.net Testing process is time sensitive. You must complete the testing and return the kit within 48 hours of receipt. Introduction ApneaLink Plus Your physician or healthcare provider has given you the ApneaLink Air device to test if you have sleep-disordered breathing. The device collects information related to how much and how well you breathe at night. Read these instructions thoroughly before.

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