title: Apnea-hypopnea index use among intensive care patients: a case series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  ApneaLink™ (RESMED-Munich, Germany) is a simple and inexpensive device that determines the apnea-hypopnea index. The sensitivity and specificity of the apnea-hypopnea index are 100 and 87.5%, respectively. Our hypothesis can be used to create a treatment plan using the apnea-hypopnea index for intensive care unit patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This treatment plan has been created by determining the apnea-hypopnea index of eight Caucasian patients with a variety of diagnoses. Case 1 is that of a 70-year-old man diagnosed with rectum cancer and scheduled for elective surgery. Case 2 is that of a 65-year-old man diagnosed with rectum cancer and scheduled for elective surgery. Case 3 is that of a 78-year-old woman diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-pneumonia. Case 4 is that of a 26-year-old man diagnosed with head trauma. Case 5 is that of an 80-year-old man diagnosed with cerebrovascular disease. Case 6 is that of a 79-year-old man diagnosed with cerebrovascular disease. Case 7 is that of an 8-year-old girl diagnosed with ventricular septal defect-epidural hemorragia. Case 8 is that of a 42-year-old man diagnosed with subarachnoid hemorrage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The apnea-hypopnea index can be informative regarding prognosis and outcomes, and helps to take precautions and develop new treatment strategies among critical patients in intensive care. The integration of developments in sleep medicine to intensive care unit practices means that we can be more informed about critical patients.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, International Hospital, Istanbul Cad No: 82 Yesilkoy, 34149 Istanbul, Turkey. drbulentgucyetmez@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gücyetmez
authors.forename: Hakan Korkut
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Atalan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis*