The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) notified its members of the indefinite suspension of the requirement for accredited sleep centers to score hypopneas in adult patients according to the 3% oxygen desaturation criterion in the new AASM scoring manual.
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The Academy still recommends scoring hypopneas in adults when there is a >3% oxygen desaturation from pre-event baseline with or without an arousal. However, it is still acceptable for accredited sleep centers to score hypopneas in adults when there is a >4% oxygen desaturation from pre-event baseline.
Hypopneas may be scored using the recommended rule 1A or the acceptable rule 1B:
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Recommended
1A. Score a respiratory event as a hypopnea if ALL of the following criteria are met:
- The peak signal excursions drop by ≥30% of pre-event baseline using nasal pressure (diagnostic study), PAP device flow (titration study), or an alternative hypopnea sensor (diagnostic study)
- The duration of the ≥30% drop in signal excursion is ≥10 seconds
- There is a ≥3% oxygen desaturation from pre-event baseline and/or the event is associated with an arousal
Acceptable
1B. Score a respiratory event as a hypopnea if ALL of the following criteria are met:
- The peak signal excursions drop by ≥30% of pre-event baseline using nasal pressure (diagnostic study), PAP device flow (titration study), or an alternative hypopnea sensor (diagnostic study)
- The duration of the ≥30% drop in signal excursion is ≥10 seconds
- There is a ≥4% oxygen desaturation from pre-event baseline
The criterion involving arousals is included in 1A and excluded from 1B. The criteria for scoring hypopneas in children remain unaffected.
For more information call (630) 737-9700 or visit AASMnet.org.
