Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Chronic diseases considerably increase the number of deaths worldwide. Sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic disease representing a major global health concern affecting approximately 10% of the middle-aged population. OSA is associated with increased cardiovascular and metabolic disease and overall mortality risks, and is nowadays considered a complex, heterogeneous and multi-component pathology. OSA heterogeneity has not been formally characterized, being this lack of identification one of the main challenges for its management. Additionally, there is an urgent need to further characterize the impact of OSA in high mortality and the social impact in diseases closely related with ageing. A better understanding of the impact of OSA will improve the diagnosis and management of these patients, reducing the cost associated to these diseases.

Objectives

The overall objective of the present Project is to characterize the OSA phenotypes and to develop an innovative and cost-effective model for integral, precise and personalized care management of OSA using different levels of healthcare, telemedicine, smart technology, simplified diagnostic methods and “omics” tools.

Additionally, we aim to explore the impact of a chronic disease such as OSA in other diseases closely related with ageing and with high mortality and social impact, such as cognitive disorders (Alzheimer disease), cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Besides progress in disease knowledge, this CIBERES Project will contribute to innovations in:

1. Personalized tools for OSA diagnosis;
2. Precision prediction of OSA comorbidities;
3. Prediction of personalized treatment effectiveness;
4. Refined technologies for OSA patient empowerment;
5. Cost effectiveness in OSA disease management.

Impact

These studies, done by a group of clinic and basic researches with a broad experience in this pathology and counting with experts  in health-cost analysis,  will have a direct impact in:

1. Patients: Impact on the quality of life and survival rates
2. National health system: To define strategies for better managing different groups of patients, thereby providing efficiency with a lower cost;
3. Clinical guidelines: development of new skills for clinical staff, integrating clinical, genetic and technological information to facilitate personalized treatment in patients with OSA. These advances can place the National Health System at the forefront of personalized medicine in OSA;
4. Industry: Development of devices for diagnosis and CPAP treatment and biomarker-based tests to predict the response for specific treatments, along with respiratory therapy services for the treatment of apnea specifically adapted to the need of each patient.