title: The use of an online pictorial Epworth Sleepiness Scale in the assessment of age and gender specific differences in excessive daytime sleepiness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a non-specific but highly prevalent cardinal symptom of sleep disorders. We hypothesized that with modern media and an online pictorial Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) age and gender specific differences of EDS could be identified on a large scale. This could be helpful in the screening of patients with sleep disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 8,098 subjects, age and gender were recorded in addition to an online pictorial ESS (range 0-24 points). The cut-off for EDS (ESS >10 points) was chosen in line with the traditional ESS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of EDS was slightly higher in male subjects (45% vs. 43%, P=0.033). When age was considered, female subjects tended to be sleepier in their 3(rd) and 4(th) lifetime decade (P=0.01 and P=0.003, respectively), whilst male subjects scored significantly higher in their 7(th) decade (P<0.0001); there was a trend to more daytime symptoms with higher age (P for trend <0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The online pictorial ESS identifies gender differences in EDS and reveals increased levels of sleepiness associated with higher age. The use of modern media facilitates reaching out to the general population to raise awareness of conditions associated with EDS such as sleep apnoea.
authors.affiliation: 1 Lane Fox Respiratory Unit/Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK ; 2 Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; 3 British Lung Foundation, 73-75 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7ER, UK ; 4 King's College London, School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, London, UK ; 5 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Panagis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Drakatos
authors.affiliation: 1 Lane Fox Respiratory Unit/Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK ; 2 Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; 3 British Lung Foundation, 73-75 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7ER, UK ; 4 King's College London, School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, London, UK ; 5 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghiassi
authors.affiliation: 1 Lane Fox Respiratory Unit/Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK ; 2 Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; 3 British Lung Foundation, 73-75 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7ER, UK ; 4 King's College London, School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, London, UK ; 5 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jarrold
authors.affiliation: 1 Lane Fox Respiratory Unit/Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK ; 2 Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; 3 British Lung Foundation, 73-75 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7ER, UK ; 4 King's College London, School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, London, UK ; 5 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: 1 Lane Fox Respiratory Unit/Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK ; 2 Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; 3 British Lung Foundation, 73-75 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7ER, UK ; 4 King's College London, School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, London, UK ; 5 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Athar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abidi
authors.affiliation: 1 Lane Fox Respiratory Unit/Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK ; 2 Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; 3 British Lung Foundation, 73-75 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7ER, UK ; 4 King's College London, School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, London, UK ; 5 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Abdel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Douiri
authors.affiliation: 1 Lane Fox Respiratory Unit/Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK ; 2 Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; 3 British Lung Foundation, 73-75 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7ER, UK ; 4 King's College London, School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, London, UK ; 5 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: 1 Lane Fox Respiratory Unit/Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK ; 2 Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; 3 British Lung Foundation, 73-75 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7ER, UK ; 4 King's College London, School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, London, UK ; 5 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kosky
authors.affiliation: 1 Lane Fox Respiratory Unit/Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK ; 2 Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; 3 British Lung Foundation, 73-75 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7ER, UK ; 4 King's College London, School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, London, UK ; 5 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Adrian J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: 1 Lane Fox Respiratory Unit/Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK ; 2 Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; 3 British Lung Foundation, 73-75 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7ER, UK ; 4 King's College London, School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, London, UK ; 5 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Martyn R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Partridge
authors.affiliation: 1 Lane Fox Respiratory Unit/Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK ; 2 Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; 3 British Lung Foundation, 73-75 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7ER, UK ; 4 King's College London, School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, London, UK ; 5 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steier
keywords: Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS); Sleep apnoea; hypersomnia