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A new study, published online ahead of print (25
October 2012) in the European Respiratory Journal,
could make the diagnosis of the condition quick and
inexpensive compared to current methods. The gold
standard used to identify sleep apnoea is an
overnight sleep test. This is technically demanding,
time-consuming and cost-intensive.
Electronic nose devices have been shown to
distinguish between a number of diseases; they do
this by analysing the pattern of volatile organic
compounds in breath samples. This is the first study
that has assessed whether the electronic nose could
be used to confirm the presence of sleep apnoea.
Researchers analysed the breath of 40 sleep apnoea
patients and 20 healthy controls. Sleep apnoea is
associated with inflammation in the upper airways,
which the researchers suggested could be detected by
analysis of the exhaled breath of the patients.
The study also aimed to assess whether the
electronic nose could detect the effects of the
standard treatment for sleep apnoea i.e. continuous
positive airway pressure (CPAP).
The researchers performed questionnaires and sleep
examinations to confirm sleep apnoea in 40 patients.
They also collected throat washings from patients to
measure any improvement in their condition following
treatment with CPAP. The researchers then used a
statistical analysis model to calculate the accuracy
of the electronic nose.
The results found that the electronic nose could
effectively diagnose sleep apnoea. The statistical
analysis showed that sleep apnoea was detected with
a sensitivity of 93%.
Lead author, Dr Timm Greulich, from the Marburg
Hospital in Germany, said: "This is the first time
an electronic nose has been tested in the setting of
sleep apnoea diagnosis. The electronic nose could be
useful in two ways.
First, it can rule out the disease in a low
prevalence population.
Secondly, in a population with a high risk of sleep
apnoea, the device could be used to help decide who
would need to undergo an overnight sleep
examination. Following these results, we foresee
that the use of an electronic nose could reduce
costs by more appropriately selecting patients who
require the sleep examination."
European Respiratory Journal Associate Editor,
Professor Ramon Farre, commented: "This is an
interesting study, adding to a growing body of
evidence demonstrating that electronic noses are a
future potential tool for the detection of
respiratory diseases. Although the results are
encouraging, it is important to acknowledge the
limitations in this kind of statistical analysis and
it is not yet definite proof that this is an
accurate diagnostic tool. It is, however, the first
study to consider the application of an electronic
nose for sleep apnoea and we look forward to seeing
future research expanding on this important initial
research."
For more information
Detection of obstructive sleep apnoea by an
electronic nose
Authors: Timm Greulich, Akira Hattesohl, Antje
Grabisch, Janine Koepke, Severin Schmid, Sarah
Noeske, Christoph Nell, Marion Wencker, Rudolf
Jörres, Claus Franz Vogelmeier, Ulrich Köhler,
Andreas Rembert Koczulla
MDN)
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