Home CPAP device maker Resmed is launching a small, disposable wearable to help diagnose cases of obstructive sleep apnea.
The NightOwl testing device, about the size of a quarter, is worn on the user’s index finger to record sleep data at home for up to 10 nights. The sensor measures movement, pulse rate and blood oxygen levels, as well as peripheral arterial tonometry—or the elasticity of the vessels—as blood flows through the finger.
Paired up with a smartphone app and Resmed’s connected sleep lab software platform, the company said that results from the FDA-cleared NightOwl nearly agreed with expert scorings of polysomnography tests.
“Now more than ever, people want healthcare experiences that are easy, convenient, and accessible, however, navigating sleep apnea testing can be complex,” Resmed’s chief medical officer, Carlos Nunez, M.D., said in a statement. “With NightOwl, people can easily complete a sleep apnea test from the comfort of home using just a fingertip sensor and a smartphone. It also simplifies the process for providers.”
Last month, the company highlighted a large study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine showing that, for people with obstructive sleep apnea, receiving CPAP therapy lowered the overall risks of dying early by 37%.
When it comes to mortality risks linked to cardiovascular complications, the meta-analysis of more than 1.1 million patients saw that figure increase to 55%. The findings also linked consistent CPAP use to greater survival benefits over the long-term.
The paper collected data from 10 randomized, controlled trials as well as 20 studies of real-world use.
“These findings should serve as a wake-up call,” said the study’s co-author, Jean-Louis Pépin, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of clinical physiology at Grenoble University Hospital in France. “Every additional hour of CPAP treatment translates to improved chance of survival for people living with OSA. Patients who stay on CPAP therapy aren’t just breathing easier at night; they’re potentially adding years to their lives.”