U of M researchers working on faster approach to diagnosing sleep apnea

Zahra Moussavi and Walid Ashraf discuss sleep apnea, the long-term effects and the research they are doing on the subject.

A team of University of Manitoba researchers is working to create a faster and simpler approach to diagnosing sleep apnea.

As part of this project, researchers are developing a testing method that involves the use of acoustic sound analysis to map a person’s airway and screen for sleep apnea in just a few minutes. The sound analysis is done with a small speaker in the mouth and contact microphone on the throat.

According to researchers, this new method is beneficial as it could shorten the wait for sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment.

“The diagnosis and the treatment for sleep apnea, despite the fact that it’s relatively easy to diagnose, it is not that available,” said Zahra Moussavi, a professor in the U of M’s faculty of engineering who is involved in the research. “Sleep studies are time consuming and require an equipped sleep lab.”

Recent PhD graduate Walid Ashraf explained that sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that occurs when a person’s airway narrows or shuts off. He noted this causes the brain, but not consciousness, to awaken, which can lead to risks of accidents and complications.

He added though snoring is an aspect of sleep apnea, it’s “not the whole story.”

“Snoring can be a factor that we can observe people who have sleep apnea may be snoring, but it’s not the only factor that is contributing to sleep apnea,” he said.

Moussavi added that many people deal with sleep apnea, due, in part, to aging and muscle atrophy. She noted another contributing factor is smoking.

“It has so many associations to so many other causes, but there are also people that anatomically they are more prone to sleep apnea,” she said.

As of now, the project remains in the research stage; however, Moussavi and Ashraf hope to eventually bring the device to market for use by nurses and family physicians.

• With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé