Many people suffer from sleep apnea. Fortunately, new technology is allowing doctors to treat this condition more effectively. MATRx uses a new type of dental appliance to protrude the mandible at the right time during sleep. In addition to helping with the condition, the device is also effective in treating obesity, comorbid conditions, and other factors contributing to the patient's condition.
The proposed system detects body postures without needing personalized data training. In addition, it can estimate the patient's respiration rate, which is particularly helpful for those with sleep apnea. The prototype system performs posture identification with 96.7% accuracy, and the accuracy of the measured respiratory rate is 0.7 bpm. This is a significant improvement over other devices used in sleep apnea diagnosis.
The upper airway is blocked during apnea, preventing oxygen from flowing through. Without treatment, this condition can lead to various serious complications, including glaucoma, diabetes, cancer, and cognitive and behavioral disorders. AHI, also called the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), is a metric that measures the severity of OSA. A five or less AHI score indicates mild to moderate OSA, while a high-level RDI indicates severe OSA.
The algorithm is trained on 14 patients diagnosed with sleep apnea. The Somnofy device, a radar-based sleep monitor, is used parallel with respiratory polygraphy. After training the neural network on data from the Somnofy, patients' pulse oximetry, and polygraphy scores, the algorithm was compared against the RP-based home sleep apnea test results. The overall kappa score was 0.81.
The combination of pulse oximetry and radar technology provides an enhanced way to diagnose sleep apnea. The two technologies were more accurate when compared to using each technology individually. Combining the two technologies allows doctors to get second-by-second information on sleep apnea severity. A more extensive study is necessary to validate the algorithm in the general population. Nevertheless, it is an exciting step forward in treating sleep apnea with this revolutionary new technology.
Learn more about MATRx by visiting sleep study Calgary.