Excessive Daytime Sleepiness as a Risk Factor for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea among Public Transport Drivers: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Context: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) due to obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is reported to be a major contributor to many road traffic accidents. Lack of awareness and diagnosis of OSA among public transport workers remains a threat to the society.

Aims: The primary aim of this study was to assess the risk of OSA among transport drivers of south Kerala using modified Berlin questionnaire. The secondary objective included craniofacial assessment of the high-risk patients identified through the questionnaire using lateral cephalogram.

Settings and design: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 transport drivers of south Kerala.

Methods and material: Modified Berlin questionnaire and limited physical examination [body mass index (kg/m²), neck circumference (cm), waist circumference (cm), hip circumference and waist to hip ratio, blood pressure (mm Hg)] were recorded. The screened subjects were categorized as high-risk snorers and low-risk snorers based on modified Berlin questionnaire. Craniofacial morphological variations of high-risk group were assessed by lateral cephalograms.

Statistical analysis used: The descriptive statistics were represented as mean and standard deviation and percentage. Inter-group comparison was performed with independent sample t test.

Results: The study demonstrated 64.4% of subjects were non-snorers and 35.6% were snorers. Furthermore, among the snorers, 46.9% were identified as high-risk snorers, whereas the remaining 53.1% represented low-risk snorers.

Conclusions: The study revealed the concealed risk of OSA among transport drivers could be screened through the questionnaires and demographics assessment. The application of the proposed screening protocol would triage and enhance safety of OSA affected transport drivers.