Utility of the psychomotor vigilance task in screening for obstructive sleep apnoea

Purpose The study aimed to assess the performance of the PVT in patients with suspected OSA, evaluate its role in population screening for OSA. Methods The NoSAS, STOP-Bang, ESS scores and PVT tests were performed after suspected OSA patients' admission, followed by PSG. Then we compared the PVT results, calculated the sensitivity, specificity and ROC curve of PVT, and analyzed the accuracy of STOP-Bang and NoSAS questionnaire combined with PVT in predicting OSA. Results A total of 308 patients were divided into four groups based on AHI: primary snoring (2.74 +/- 1.4 events/h, n = 37); mild OSA (9.96 +/- 3.25 events/h, n = 65); moderate OSA (22.41 +/- 4.48 events/h, n = 76); and, severe OSA (59.42 +/- 18.37 events/h, n = 130). There were significant differences in PVT lapses (p < 0.001) and reaction time (RT, p = 0.03) among the four groups. The PVT lapses and RT were positively correlated with AHI (p < 0.001) and ODI (p < 0.001), and negatively correlated with LSpO(2) (p < 0.001). When diagnosing OSA (AHI >= 5 events/h), the AUCs of PVT, ESS, STOP-Bang, and NoSAS were 0.679, 0.579, 0.727, and 0.653, respectively; the AUCs of STOP-Bang and NoSAS combined with PVT increased. After combined PVT, the diagnostic specificity of STOP-Bang and NoSAS at nodes with AHI >= 5,>= 15 and >= 30 events/h increased to varying degrees. Conclusion Patients with OSA exhibited impairment in the PVT, and the combination of the PVT and STOP-Bang or NoSAS scores can improve the diagnostic efficacy and specificity for OSA.