BibTex format
@article{Thorarinsdottir:2026:10.1136/bmjopen-2026-119621,
author = {Thorarinsdottir, E and Benediktsdóttir, B and Aspelund, T and Palsdottir, H and Hreggvidsdottir, S and Gudmundsson, T and Matin, A and Eysteinsdottir, B and Janson, C and Lindberg, E and Potts, J and Amaral, A and Gislason, T},
doi = {10.1136/bmjopen-2026-119621},
journal = {BMJ Open},
title = {Screening for obstructive sleep apnoea in the general population in Iceland and uptake of positive airway pressure treatment: a prospective cohort study},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-119621},
volume = {16},
year = {2026}
}
RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)
TY - JOUR
AB - Objectives To estimate uptake of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) screening and initiation and long-term use of positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment in a middle-aged and older general population cohort.Design Prospective population-based cohort study.Setting Icelandic arm of the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease follow-up study II (2019–2021)Participants 378 non-institutionalised adults aged 54–91 years were invited from a general population cohort. 26 with prior OSA diagnosis were excluded. Of the remaining participants, 334 (88.4%) completed a technically adequate home sleep apnoea test.Interventions Those with an apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI)≥15 events/hour were invited for clinical evaluation and when appropriate, referred for PAP treatment. Adherence was assessed 2 years after PAP initiation.Main outcome measures Primary outcomes were screening uptake and PAP initiation. Secondary outcomes included long-term PAP use and objective adherence 2 years after referral.Results AHI≥15 was identified in 132/334 participants (39.5%). Of these, 123 (93.2%) attended clinical evaluation and 99 (75.0%) were referred for PAP treatment. Of those not referred, six declined PAP and the remainder were advised alternative management or reassessment. At 2-year follow-up, 53/99 (53.5%) were long-term PAP users, 43/99 (43.4%) had discontinued and 3/99 (3.0%) never initiated PAP. Objective adherence data were available for 47/53 long-term users; 21/47 (44.7%) met adherence criteria (≥4 hours/night on ≥70% of nights in the preceding 30 days).Conclusions Most adults accepted OSA screening when offered. Among those with moderate-to-severe OSA identified through population screening, most accepted evaluation and PAP treatment, with approximately half becoming long-term users. These findings suggest that population-based detection of OSA followed by routine clinical management is feasible. Future studies should identify subgroups most li
AU - Thorarinsdottir,E
AU - Benediktsdóttir,B
AU - Aspelund,T
AU - Palsdottir,H
AU - Hreggvidsdottir,S
AU - Gudmundsson,T
AU - Matin,A
AU - Eysteinsdottir,B
AU - Janson,C
AU - Lindberg,E
AU - Potts,J
AU - Amaral,A
AU - Gislason,T
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2026-119621
PY - 2026///
SN - 2044-6055
TI - Screening for obstructive sleep apnoea in the general population in Iceland and uptake of positive airway pressure treatment: a prospective cohort study
T2 - BMJ Open
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-119621
VL - 16
ER -