The European Sleep Apnoea Database (ESADA): report from 22 European sleep laboratories

The European Sleep Apnoea Database (ESADA) reflects a network of 22 sleep disorder centres in Europe enabled by a COST action B26 programme. This ongoing project aims to describe differences in standard clinical care of patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and to establish a resource for genetic research in this disorder. Patients with suspected OSA are consecutively included and followed up according to local clinical standards. Anthropometrics, medical history, medication, daytime symptoms and sleep data (poly-somnography or cardiorespiratory polygraphy) are recorded in a structured web-based report form. 5,103 patients (1,426 females, mean +/- SD age 51.8 +/- 12.6 yrs, 79.4% with apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) >= 5 events.h(-1)) were included from March 15, 2007 to August 1, 2009. Morbid obesity (body mass index >= 35 kg.m(-2)) was present in 21.1% of males and 28.6% of females. Cardiovascular, metabolic and pulmonary comorbidities were frequent (49.1%, 32.9% and 14.2%, respectively). Patients investigated with a polygraphic method had a lower AHI than those undergoing polysomnography (23.2 +/- 23.5 versus 29.1 +/- 26.3 events.h(-1), p < 0.0001). The ESADA is a rapidly growing multicentre patient cohort that enables unique outcome research opportunities and genotyping. The first cross-sectional analysis reveals a high prevalence of cardiovascular and metabolic morbidity in patients investigated for OSA.