Analyzing Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients Diagnosed with Peripheral Arterial Tonometry-based Diagnostic Device: Retrospective Study from Indian Tertiary Care Center

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent global disorder with significant public health implications.While polysomnography (PSG) remains the gold standard for diagnosis, peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT)-based diagnostic devices present a cost-effective and convenient alternative.This retrospective study aims to analyze OSA patients diagnosed using a PAT-based device in a tertiary care center in India.Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 55 patients with symptoms suggestive of OSA with high STOP BANG score/ Epworth sleepiness score were diagnosed using the one sleep test/NightOwl by ResMed Inc. after obtaining sanction from the institutional ethical committee.All diagnosed patients of OSA or patients with cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, hematological, metabolic or neurological disorders who can have symptoms mimicking OSA were excluded.Patients on sedatives, alpha-adrenergic blockers, chronic alcohol intoxication or opioid or drug overuse were excluded from the study.The gold standard PSG study could not be done on these patients owing to COVID-19 pandemic.Data from March 2022 to February 2023 were analyzed, focusing on patient demographics, device performance, and various parameters recorded by the device.Statistical analysis included correlation assessments and t-tests.During the preparation of this work, ChatGPT was used to improve language.Results: The majority of patients were male (74.5%) and overweight/obese (81.1%).The device demonstrated satisfactory performance, with only one failed test.Among OSA-positive cases, severity ranged from mild to severe.Minimum SpO 2 correlated with OSA severity, with severe cases showing the lowest levels.Ectopic beats were prevalent in OSA cases.Nocturnal hypoxia, indicated by T90 values, correlated with OSA severity. Conclusion:This study exemplifies the utility of PAT-based devices in diagnosing OSA, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlights the correlation between OSA severity and various physiological parameters.These devices offer a viable alternative for OSA diagnosis, especially in resource-constrained settings or when PSG is not feasible.Further research is warranted to explore the clinical implications of PAT-based diagnostic findings and their association with comorbidities.