Home-testing devices for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS)
Evidence Overview
Background
- Wearable home-testing devices for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) can offer a viable alternative to traditional in-hospital polysomnography (PSG) and home respiratory polygraphy for adults with suspected OSAHS.
- The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends the use of four wearable home-testing devices (AcuPebble SA100, Sunrise, WatchPAT 300 and WatchPAT ONE) as options to diagnose and assess the severity of OSAHS in people aged 16 and above.
- Published after the NICE recommendations, a well-conducted Cochrane review showed that level III wearable home-testing devices are clinical effective compared with in-hospital PSG for diagnosing OSAHS in adults aged 18 years and above.
- No evidence evaluating safety measures associated with the wearable home-testing devices were identified. The devices may produce false-positive or false-negative results, which can lead to inappropriate treatment decisions and potentially poorer clinical outcomes.
- Patients generally reported high acceptability with using the wearable home-testing devices; citing comfort, ease of use and convenience compared with in-hospital sleep studies. The devices may help reduce the requirement for travel to and from clinics, which may be particularly beneficial for people with mobility limitations, those living in rural areas, and individuals with limited work flexibility.
- Service providers should be aware than digital access barriers may affect users (access to smartphone or internet is required). Skin tone and physiological differences may affect diagnostic accuracy. Choice of device placement should accommodate individual physical features, religious or cultural practices and skin conditions.
- An economic model used to inform the NICE recommendations found that wearable home-testing devices are cost effective for the diagnosis of OSAHS. The analysis does not take into account the impact of the devices on the access to treatment.
- An indicative budget impact for the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland found that introducing the new devices would cost between £901,200 and £1,425,486 depending on the device.
IMTO
Patient experience
9 June 2026
The Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) collaborative
