CARLSBAD, Calif., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc., today announced the Apnea Risk Evaluation System (ARES(TM)) was proven accurate for screening and diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to the study "Description and Validation of the Apnea Risk Evaluation System: A Novel Method to Diagnose Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea in the Home" in the October 2005 issue of CHEST - The Cardiopulmonary and Critical Care Journal.
The multi-site study, funded by the NIH's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, was the largest of its kind validating an in-home system for the diagnosis of OSA, with 284 simultaneous in-lab polysomnography (PSG) and ARES studies and 187 comparisons of PSG with 2-night unattended in-home ARES studies. "After accounting for differences in patients' sleep position, the ARES and PSG results were virtually identical," commented Dr. Delmer Henninger, one of the study's authors.
The ARES is a two-part system that includes a validated, brief clinical history Questionnaire to assess a patient's risk level for OSA. Patients who are identified as high-risk by the Questionnaire then complete the ARES in- home study, which uses a wireless physiological recorder, the Unicorder, worn on the forehead during sleep. Patients are able to self-apply the Unicorder following simple written instructions. Responses to the ARES Questionnaire and automated analysis of the signals are available for the physician to review when diagnosing OSA.
"The percentage of our population with undiagnosed OSA is unacceptable," stated Dr. Philip Westbrook, Chief Medical Officer of Advanced Brain Monitoring and Past President of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "Many people with undiagnosed OSA are driving trucks and buses or working in safety-sensitive positions. They may be avoiding diagnosis because they are unwilling to go to a sleep lab or unable to accept using CPAP, the most commonly prescribed treatment."
The ARES is being used in clinical studies to demonstrate the benefits of alternative therapies for OSA, including oral appliances, surgical implants, and pharmaceuticals. The ARES can be integrated into comprehensive treatment solutions, in which the system can be used to identify patients who are optimal candidates for alternative treatments and to document treatment effectiveness.
The ARES is FDA-cleared and is currently used in situations for which rapid, inexpensive screening is needed, such as for transportation workers or hospital patients preparing for general anesthesia. The ARES is also being used to study the prevalence of undiagnosed OSA in ex-NFL players.
Advanced Brain Monitoring markets patented instrument systems that combine laboratory-level accuracy with the portability, ease of use, and low cost of consumer electronics. These systems can be used to diagnose sleep and neurological disease, and to assess alertness, memory, and other cognitive states.
For more information on Advanced Brain Monitoring, or to receive a copy of the CHEST article, visit www.b-alert.com.
Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc.CONTACT: Chris Berka, Chief Executive Officer of Advanced BrainMonitoring, Inc., +1-760-720-0099, sales@b-alert.com
Web site: http://www.b-alert.com//
