title: [Drivers with obstructive sleep apnea as potential authors of car accidents].
abstract: The aim of this work was to estimate excessive somnolence and frequency of episodes of dozing off during driving a car in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Result of questionnaire and polysomnographic investigations were analysed in a group of 503 patients. Mean age for the whole group was 49.2 +/- 9.7 of years, BMI 32.1 +/- 1.4 kg/m2 and the value for apnea and hypopnea index 45.4 +/- 24.8. Excessive somnolence during driving was reported by 49.1% of patients. 31.2% of the group notified at least one episode of falling asleep while driving a car. Sleepy drivers (group A) were significantly younger (46.5 +/- 9.2 vs 50 +/- 9.8 years) and had higher values of BMI (34.1 +/- 7 vs 31.1 +/- 5.5 kg/m2) than the others (group B) Results of polysomnographic investigation showed more severe sleep apnea in the group A. Mean value of AHI for this group was 52.5 +/- 26.1 vs 41.6 +/- 23.5 in the group B. Besides, somnolence in many other practical situations was more often considered as a serious problem in the group A.
authors.affiliation: Katedra i Klinika Chorób Wewnetrznych i Pneumonologii AM w Warszawie.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Przybyłowski
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Korczyński
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Broczek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rzadkiewicz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bielicki
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zimnoch
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Droszcz
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D001334:Automobile Driving; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D004585:Electrooculography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires