SLEep APnea Screening Using Mobile Ambulatory Recorders After TIA/Stroke

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common after stroke and, left untreated, is associated with recurrent vascular events, poor functional outcomes, and long-term mortality. Despite its high prevalence, OSA often remains underdiagnosed after stroke. While in-laboratory polysomnography studies are the gold standard for diagnosing OSA, their use is limited by the lack of availability, patient unwillingness to sleep overnight at a laboratory and high costs. Home-based PSMs can accurately diagnose OSA and are much more accessible, convenient and low-priced compared to in-laboratory sleep studies.

The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether broad screening for OSA using PSMs, as compared to usual care, increases the proportion of patients diagnosed with treatable OSA after stroke or TIA. Secondary aims include whether screening with PSMs increases the proportion of patients treated for OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and whether functional outcomes and sleep-related outcomes are improved. Finally, the study will also determine whether this approach is cost-effective.

Inclusion criteria

• Imaging-confirmed stroke or stroke-neurologist diagnosed TIA in the past 6-months, and
• Outpatients being managed at the Sunnybrook Stroke Prevention clinic or inpatients on the Sunnybrook Stroke Unit.

Exclusion criteria

• Prior diagnosis of OSA
• Current use of CPAP
• Life expectancy less than 12 months
• The presence of conditions known to compromise the accuracy of portable sleep monitoring, such as moderate to severe pulmonary disease or congestive heart failure
• Oxygen therapy (eg. nasal prongs), a nasogastric tube, or other medical devices that would interfere with the placement of the sensors of the sleep monitoring device and/or CPAP
• Physical impairment, aphasia, or language barrier restricting ability to complete study assessments, overnight sleep monitoring, and/or comply with CPAP therapy, and no caregiver available to assist the patient with the study requirements
• Facial or bulbar weakness or trauma restricting the ability to create a seal with a CPAP mask
• Pregnancy
• Occupation that would make randomization to the standard of care arm unethical
• Not covered by Ontario health insurance plan (OHIP)
• Unable to attend follow-up assessments