Case Study

D.K., a 41-year-old man with a history of class 1 obesity (body mass index of 31 kg per m²), presents for a wellness visit. D.K. states he feels well today overall. D.K.’s uncle was recently diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and D.K. has questions about screening for sleep apnea.

Case Study Questions

1. According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation statement, is screening for OSA recommended for this patient?

• A. Yes, D.K. should be screened for OSA in your clinic today.

• B. Yes, D.K. should be referred to a sleep medicine specialist for polysomnography.

• C. No, screening for sleep apnea is not indicated in the general U.S. population.

• D. No, D.K. should be empirically treated with a positive airway pressure device or mandibular advancement device.

• E. There is not enough information to assess the benefits and harms of screening for OSA in adults.

2. Based on the USPSTF recommendation statement, which of the following statements are correct?

• A. There is inadequate evidence on the accuracy of screening approaches to identify adults in the general population at increased risk for OSA.

• B. There is adequate evidence of significant harms of screening for OSA.

• C. There is an absence of evidence on treatment with a positive airway pressure device or mandibular advancement device on intermediate health outcomes (e.g., apnea-hypopnea index) or sleep-related quality of life.

• D. There is inadequate evidence on the effect of treatment of OSA on health outcomes such as mortality or cardiovascular events because of a small number of studies with few events and inadequate follow-up.