Significance of early diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in professional drivers operating motor vehicles

Traffic accidents are a crucial problem in Serbia. There is a direct cause-effect relationship between sleepiness while driving and the rate of traffic accidents. Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is often a cause of sleepiness in drivers. Drivers with OSAS have a 3-7 fold greater risk of traffic accidents compared to other drivers. The incidence of OSAS in professional drivers is 26% - 50%. In Serbia, there are no epidemiologic data available regarding OSAS. The main objective is to determine the incidence of OSAS in a sample of professional drivers of motor vehicles in Serbia, and possible correlation with traffic accidents. Subjects are professional drivers of motor vehicles in Serbia. They will be interviewed for complaints suggestive of OSAS, using standardised questionnaires (Epworth Sleepiness Scale, SF 36 and others), and then examined by medical specialists in occupational health, pulmonology, otorhinolaryngology, psychiatry, physical medicine. Each subject will undergo a full-night polysomnography, and then be classified according to the results, and adequate treatment will be indicated. In defined time intervals, subjects will undergo repeated examinations, and it will be determined if there were any changes in their health and work ability. Guidelines for the early diagnostics and treatment of OSAS in professional drivers will be developed, as well as the criteria for obtaining a driver’s license for professional drivers of motor vehicles with OSAS.