[Sleep disorders and road accidents in truck drivers].
Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in drivers accounts for approximately 22% of road accidents (RA). Such accidents result in higher mortality than from other causes: 11.4% vs. 5.6%. EDS and sleep-related accidents among commercial truck drivers has received considerable attention in recent years. The main causes of RA in transport are sleep debt, or circadian disruption (shift-work and overtime) and sleep disorders. Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), often leading EDS, has a high prevalence (12%) among more than 40-year-old males. In professional drivers the occurrence of OSAS is significantly higher (17%) than in the general population (8.6%). Adequate treatment can drastically reduce the risk of RA among the population affected. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of OSAS in a population of dangerous goods drivers in North Italy and diagnostic tool for OSAS screening.


RESULTS
A high and unexpected prevalence of OSAS, 30% with RDI > 10 (Respiratory Distress Index), 8.5% with RDI > 30 as index of a severe condition. B development of a byomathematical model as a simple and effective diagnostic toolfor screening OSAS among professional drivers by Sleep Disorders Score (SDS), clinical examinations and Polysomnography (PSG). Occupational physicians and General Practitioners might suspect OSAS on the basis of a few SDS questions and some measurable anthropomorphic parameters. Mindful PSG as the "gold standard" examination for confirming OSAS diagnosis.
Garbarino
S
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Centro di Fisiopatologia del Sonno, DISMR, Università di Genova, Italy.
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D015995:Prevalence; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology*