Diagnosing Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is often by Polysomnography (PSG), which measures the heart rate, blood oxygen levels, muscle tone and brain activity during sleep. PSG is also used to determine the severity of OSA. According to a recent study of 68 non-smokers with mild, moderate or severe OSA, as well as 10 healthy smokers all of whom under went PSG and Breath tests for the concentration of 2 Bio-markers of Immune response (Interleukin 6 and Interleukin 10). It was found that the levels of the Bio-markers differed significantly across the 4 groups and that their concentrations were correlated with the severity of OSA .The results suggest that a patients breath may also serve as a predictor of OSA severity among non-smoking patients.
Sleep med. 2009 Jan; 10 (1): 95-103. Epub 2008 Jan 22