Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) in patients with OSAS.
Methods: The questionnaire of the epworth sleepiness scale was used to evaluate 189 patients with OSAS and 42 patients with snoring. The results were compared to those of polysomnography.
Results: Significant differences in ESS-SP, AHI and sleep structure were found between patients with OSAS and patients with scoring. A significant correlation was found between ESS-SP score and AHI (r = 0.44, P < 0.01). The patients with OSAS had significantly higher scores than those without OSAS. The specificity of this method was 83% (snoring), 90% (mild OSAS), 79% (moderate OSAS) and 82% (severe OSAS).
Conclusion: ESS-SP is consistent with clinical diagnosis and could be used as a primary diagnostic method in patients with OSAS, especially in primary-care hospitals.