System And Method For Diagnosing Sleep Apnea

Abstract

Various embodiments may provide methods and systems capable of evaluating physiological parameter data. The methods and systems may include monitoring a patient to produce a signal comprising a sequence of numerical values for blood oxygen saturation over a time period. The signal may be analyzed to identify two or more desaturation patterns within the time period, and at least two numerical differences are calculated between the desaturation patterns. A saturation pattern detection index may be calculated using the numerical differences between the desaturation patterns. The saturation pattern detection index may be used to provide an indication of a physiological condition. Other embodiments may provide a medical device that may be used to evaluate physical parameter data according to the techniques described.

1 . A method of evaluating a physiological parameter, comprising:
 monitoring a patient with a monitor to produce physiological parameter data comprising a sequence indicative of blood oxygen saturation over a time period;   analyzing the physiological parameter data with a processor to identify two or more desaturation patterns within the time period;   determining differences between the two or more desaturation patterns with a processor;   calculating a saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon the differences, with the processor; and   providing an indication of a physiological condition based at least in part upon the saturation pattern detection index.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one of the differences comprises a slope of a maximum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one of the differences comprises a slope of a minimum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising using the processor to incrementally scale the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a count of the desaturation patterns present within the time period. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising using the processor to incrementally scale the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a duration of time during which desaturation patterns are present. 
     
     
         6 . A medical system, comprising:
 a microprocessor capable of processing physiological parameter data; and   a memory capable of storing computer-readable instructions, wherein the contents of the memory comprises computer-readable instructions that if executed are capable of directing the microprocessor to:
 analyze the physiological parameter data to identify two or more desaturation patterns within the time period; 
 determine differences between the two or more desaturation patterns; 
 calculate a saturation pattern detection index based at least in pail upon the differences; and 
 provide an indication of a physiological condition based at least in part upon the saturation pattern detection index. 
   
     
     
         7 . The medical system of  claim 6 , wherein one of the differences comprises a slope over time of a maximum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns. 
     
     
         8 . The medical system of  claim 6 , wherein one of the differences comprises a slope over time of a minimum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns. 
     
     
         9 . The medical system of  claim 6 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, if executed by a processor, are capable of causing the processor to calculate a magnitude comprising the difference between a maximum value of the physiological parameter data during a last desaturation pattern within the time period and a minimum value of the physiological parameter data of the last desaturation pattern within the time period. 
     
     
         10 . The medical system of  claim 6 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, if executed by a processor, are capable of scaling the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a count of the desaturation patterns present within the time period. 
     
     
         11 . The medical system of  claim 6 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, if executed by a processor, are capable of scaling the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a duration of time over which desaturation patterns are occurring. 
     
     
         12 . A tangible computer readable medium, comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to:
 obtain physiological parameter data from a measurement device monitoring a patient, wherein the physiological parameter data comprises an indication of blood oxygen saturation over a time period;   analyze the physiological parameter data to identify two or more desaturation patterns within the time period;   determine differences between the two or more desaturation patterns;   calculate a saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon the differences; and   provide an indication of a physiological condition based at least in part upon the saturation pattern detection index.   
     
     
         13 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the differences comprise a slope of a maximum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns. 
     
     
         14 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein one of the differences comprises a slope of a minimum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns. 
     
     
         15 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 12 , comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to calculate a magnitude comprising the difference between a maximum value of the oxygen saturation of a last desaturation pattern within the time period and a minimum value of the oxygen saturation of the last desaturation pattern within the time period. 
     
     
         16 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 12 , comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to incrementally scale the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a count of the desaturation patterns present within the time period. 
     
     
         17 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 12 , comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to increase the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a duration of time over which desaturation patterns are present. 
     
     
         18 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 12 , comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to control a treatment device based at least in part upon the saturation pattern detection index. 
     
     
         19 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 12 , comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to control an audio recording device based at least in part upon the saturation pattern detection index.