TY - JOUR T1 - European Union directive 2014/85/EU on driver licensing in obstructive sleep apnoea: early experiences with its application in the UK JF - Breathe JO - Breathe SP - e59 LP - e63 DO - 10.1183/20734735.008016 VL - 12 IS - 3 AU - Dipansu Ghosh AU - Thomas W. Mackay AU - Renata L. Riha Y1 - 2016/09/01 UR - http://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/12/3/e59.abstract N2 - Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a prevalent condition, affecting up to 20% of the population in first world countries [1]. The obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is diagnosed when symptoms of excessive daytime somnolence or cognitive impairment are present in the context of an elevated apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) per hour of sleep. The definitions vary according to the lower cut-off for the AHI, which can range from >5 to >15 events per hour [2]. However, as with any sleep disorder, it is important to establish whether the sleep disordered breathing (SDB) per se is the true cause of symptoms of daytime somnolence. As is apparent to everyone who practises in the area, a large number of other factors can intervene, such as shift work, sleep insufficiency, psychiatric disorders, metabolic disorders and nutritional deficiencies, which may be the true cause of the somnolence rather than the AHI as measured on polysomnography. Additionally, a true AHI cannot be reported on the basis of any respiratory measurements conducted during sleep, if no electroencephalogram is simultaneously recorded [2].OSA patients’ risk of RTA should be assessed using detailed driving history with specific focus on “red flags” http://ow.ly/mxPi305isni ER -