USPSTF: More Research Needed on Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

June 20, 2016 03:41 pm Chris Crawford – The reported prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) varies due to differing definitions of the condition, sampling bias and the year of study publication. A 2013 systematic review reported an estimated prevalence of 2 percent to 14 percent based on four community-level studies, while two studies conducted in the United States in the 1990s reported an estimated prevalence of 10 percent for mild OSA and 3.8 percent to 6.5 percent for moderate or severe OSA.

On June 14, the U.S Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) posted a draft recommendation statement(www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org) on screening for OSA in asymptomatic adults in primary care settings.

Following its first-ever draft evidence review(www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org) on the topic, the task force concluded there isn't enough evidence to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for OSA in adults without recognized symptoms of the condition -- an "I" statement.(www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org)

Read the article here: http://www.aafp.org/news/health-of-the-public/20160620sleepapnea.html