Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Multicenter Study
. 2004 Nov 1;27(7):1379-83.
doi: 10.1093/sleep/27.7.1379.

Incidence of serious adverse events during nocturnal polysomnography

Reena Mehra  1 , Kingman P Strohl
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Incidence of serious adverse events during nocturnal polysomnography

Reena Mehra et al. Sleep. .

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to verify whether minimal concern is warranted in regard to serious adverse effects in the sleep laboratory.

Design: A prospective multicenter study

Participants: Three scoring teams for 17 sleep laboratories.

Methods: Reports of adverse events occurring during polysomnography or identified upon scoring a study were collected over an 18-month time period. Incidence of mortality and adverse events were evaluated using a binomial distribution based on the Bernoulli process.

Results: Of 16,084 studies, the mortality rate during or 2 weeks after an adverse event, as noted, was 0.006%, and the overall rate of adverse events was 0.35%.

Conclusions: Adverse event rates are low; however, procedures for handling medical emergencies or adverse events during or after polysomnography are prudent, and those studies performed for research should include preparedness for the possibility of adverse events.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The record shows premature ventricular contractions on the electrocardiogram (ECG) channel and an episode of polymorphic nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (noted by the bar) occurring in stage 1 sleep during continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) titration (current level, 8 cm H2O). C3A2, C4A1, O1A2, and O2A1 refer to electroencephalogram channels; REOG and LEOG, right and left electrooculogram; LEMG, left electromyogram; RR, heart rate; CFLO, airflow; THO, thoracic effort; ABD, abdominal effort; MICR, microphone; SAO2, oxygen saturation; BODY, body position; and STAGE, sleep stage.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The record shows the terminal episode of polymorphic sustained ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation on the electrocardiogram channel (noted by the bar) occurring in stage 1 sleep during continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) titration (current level, 4 cm H2O). C3A2, C4A1, O1A2, and O2A1 refer to electroencephalogram channels; REOG and LEOG, right and left electrooculogram; LEMG, left electromyogram; RR, heart rate; CFLO, airflow; THO, thoracic effort; ABD, abdominal effort; MICR, microphone; SAO2, oxygen saturation; BODY, body position; and STAGE, sleep stage.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Diagram of study adverse events.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

    1. Chesson AL, Jr, Ferber RA, Fry JM, et al. The indications for polysomnography and related procedures. Sleep. 1997;20:423–87. - PubMed
    1. Punjabi NM, Welch D, Strohl K, Coleman II Study Investigators Sleep disorders in regional sleep centers: a national cooperative study. Sleep. 2000;23:471–80. - PubMed
    1. Holohan TV, Clinton JJ. Polysomnography and sleep disorders centers. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. US Department of Health and Human Services; Rockville: 1991.
    1. American Academy of Sleep Medicine Accreditation Committee . Standards for accreditation of a sleep-related breathing laboratory. 2002.
    1. Finch TM, Prais L, Foulds IS. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis from quaternium-15 in an electroencephalography skin preparation gel. Contact Derm. 2001;44:44–5. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms