Accident Rate and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Literature Review and Assessment of the Situation in Three Latin American Countries.
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common condition among working-age adults. In today's context, we observe that the retirement age has been extended, with older adults, who have a higher prevalence of OSA, continuing to work even in high-risk situations.
One of the main symptoms of OSA is daytime sleepiness, which can directly contribute to the risk of accidents, cognitive impairment and reduced work performance. It has also been demonstrated that the reduction of gray matter in the brain, especially in the cerebellum, can lead to coordination and driving capacity impairments.
Treatment with positive pressure devices improves work performance and reduces the incidence of traffic accidents, but some cognitive deficits may persist even after months of treatment.
Assessing the risk of accidents in drivers is a challenge, and current questionnaires are not suitable for screening. Driving simulators and alertness tests show more promise.
The future of research is focused on standardizing simulator outcomes, identifying the best predictors of real-world events, and utilizing artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles to mitigate risks associated with driver drowsiness.
It is imperative that the stance of government entities in our Latin American countries is proactive and aimed at safeguarding the health and safety of the population.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Heinzer R, Vat S, Marques-Vidal P et al. Prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in the general population: The HypnoLaus study. Lancet Respir Med 2015;3(4):310–8. Doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(15)00043-0.
Morrell MJ, Jackson ML, Twigg GL et al. Changes in brain morphology in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea. Thorax 2010;65(10):908–14. Doi: 10.1016/s1389-9457(03)00159-x.
Allen AJMH, Bansback N, Ayas NT. The effect of OSA on work disability and work-related injuries. Chest 2015;147(5):1422–8. Doi: 10.1378/chest.14-1949.
Guglielmi O, Jurado-Gámez B, Gude F, Buela-Casal G. Occupational health of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a systematic review. Sleep Breath 2015;19: 35–44. Doi: 10.1007/s11325-014-1015-8.
Morsy NE, Farrag NS, Zaki NFW et al. Obstructive sleep apnea: Personal, societal, public health, and legal implications. Rev Environ Health 2019;34: 153–69. Doi: 10.1515/reveh-2018-0068.
Uehli K, Mehta AJ, Miedinger D et al. Sleep problems and work injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev 2014;18: 61–73. Doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2013.01.004.
Ferrada X, Barrios S, Masalan P et al. Sleep duration and fatigue in construction workers: A preliminary study. Organization, Technology and Management in Construction 2021;13(2):2496–504. Doi.org/10.2478/otmcj-2021-0029
Terán-Santos J, Jiménez-Gómez A, Cordero-Guevara J. The association between sleep apnea and the risk of traffic accidents. Cooperative Group Burgos-Santander. N Engl J Med 1999;340(11):847-51. Doi: 10.1056/NEJM199903183401104.
Young T, Blustein J, Finn L, Palta M. Sleep-disordered breathing and motor vehicle accidents in a population-based sample of employed adults. Sleep 1997;20(8):608-13. Doi: 10.1093/sleep/20.8.608.
Karimi M, Hedner J, Häbel H, Nerman O, Grote L. Sleep apnea related risk of motor vehicle accidents is reduced by continuous positive airway pressure: Swedish traffic accident registry data. Sleep 2015;38(3):341–9. Doi: 10.5665/sleep.4486.
Pérez-Chada D, Videla AJ, O'Flaherty ME et al. Sleep Habits and Accident Risk Among Truck Drivers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Argentina. Sleep 2005; 28(9): 1103–1108. Doi: 10.1093/sleep/28.9.1103.
Liendo GR, Castro CL, Rey de Castro J. Cansancio y somnolencia en conductores de ómnibus interprovinciales: estudio comparativo entre formalidad e informalidad. Rev Peru Med Exp Salud Publica 2010; 27(2): 187-194.
George CFP. Sleep·5: Driving and automobile crashes in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome. Thorax 2004; 59: 804–7. Doi: 10.1136/thx.2003.007187.
Vakulin A, Baulk SD, Catcheside PG et al. Driving simulator performance remains impaired in patients with severe OSA after CPAP treatment. J Clin Sleep Med 2011; 7(3):246–53. Doi: 10.5664/JCSM.1062.
Dwarakanath A, Elliott MW. Assessment of Sleepiness in Drivers: Current Methodology and Future Possibilities. Sleep Med Clin 2019; 14: 441–51. Doi: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2019.08.003.
Masa JF, Rubio M, Findley LJ. Habitually sleepy drivers have a high frequency of automobile crashes associated with respiratory disorders during sleep. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2000;162(4 Pt 1):1407-12. Doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.162.4.9907019.
Chen L, Pivetta B, Nagappa M et al. Validation of the STOP-Bang questionnaire for screening of obstructive sleep apnea in the general population and commercial drivers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Breath 2021;25(4):1741-1751. Doi: 10.1007/s11325-021-02299-y.
Adami A, Tonon D, Corica A et al. Poor performance of screening questionnaires for obstructive sleep apnea in male commercial drivers. Sleep Breath 2022;26(2):541–7. Doi: 10.1007/s11325-021-02414-z.
Arand D, Bonnet M, Hurwitz T, Mitler M, Rosa R, Sangal RB. The clinical use of the MSLT and MWT. Sleep 2005;28(1):123-44. Doi: 10.1093/sleep/28.1.123.
Larrateguy LD, Pais CM, Larrateguy LI, Larrateguy SD, Schlotthauer G. Simplified sleep resistance test for daytime sleepiness detection. Sleep Science 2021;14(2):164–8. Doi: 10.5935/1984-0063.20200046.
Watson NF. Health care savings: The economic value of diagnostic and therapeutic care for obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med 2016; 12: 1075–7. Doi: 10.5664/jcsm.6034.