APAP-HPT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Auto-titrating Positive Airway Pressure therapy’s effect on Hazard Perception Test scores in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome
IRAS ID
264406
Contact name
Martin Stout
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Manchester Metropolitan University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 5 days
Research summary
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS) is a common sleep disorder in adults. It involves the repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep, causing the patient to wake continually throughout the night and become sleepy during the day. Typical treatment for OSAS is Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy, which helps keep the airway open during the night with pressurised air.\n\nIt is important to have a good measure of sleepiness in these patients as current DVLA guidelines require doctors to assess whether OSAS patients are too sleepy to drive and whether the PAP treatment has effectively resolved their sleepiness issue. Currently the only way sleepiness is assessed in many UK sleep centres is by using questionnaires about how sleepy the patient feels. Other objective measures are available but are time consuming and costly.\n\nThe DVLA Hazard Perception Test is used during the UK theory test driving license procedure. It measures the test subject’s reaction time to developing hazards in a simulated driving situation. Being able to recognise and react to a developing hazard is a key component to safe driving and delayed reaction times to hazards are a major cause of road traffic accidents involving sleepiness.\n\nThis study will aim to see if there can be an improvement in these test scores after successful treatment of OSAS. This may prove an additional useful tool in quickly assessing if a patient’s sleepiness is significantly impacting their ability to drive.\n
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/SW/0206
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jan 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion