Obstructive sleep apnoea screening in the truck driver population

Objective: The European Union Directive 2014/85/EU (dedicated to psychophysical fitness to drive) was created to limit accidents arising from sleep disordered breathing (SDB). Among the possible causes of drowsy driving is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) characterized by repeated breathing interruptions and sleep fragmentation. The Italian Apnoeic Association and Federtrasporti proposed to carry out surveys of first screening for the possible presence of OSA and overweight in the population under consideration. Methods: During a national tour of 44 dates, anthropometric characteristics were detected, and operators administered a 6 item questionnaire from the Cnr/Ibim Palermo to Truck Drivers. Results: The sample tested was composed of 905 people (887 males and 18 females). Overweight and obesity were prevalent (BMI <25 22,5%; BMI 25-30 44,0%; BMI >30 33,5%). Ninety subjects (9.94%) have claimed to be unaware of having episodes of breathing disorders during sleep. Three hundred-eighty-seven drivers (43%) answered "Yes" to at least two items, being positive to the questionnaire. Conclusion: The data collected in this first survey, suggest a careful consideration of the aspects relating to food hygiene and sleep disorders, in the category of truck drivers and, suggest a high incidence of sleep-related breathing disorders.