The Use of Entropy to Assess Sleep Disordered Breathing in Chronic Respiratory Disease

Research is being conducted into chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, interstitial lung disease, and bronchiectasis. The investigation specifically focuses on sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in individuals with chronic respiratory disease. SDB encompasses a range of conditions, the most common of which is obstructive sleep apnoea. In obstructive sleep apnoea, periodic pauses in breathing (apnoea) lead to reduced blood oxygen levels. To detect these events, patients typically undergo sleep studies that involve monitoring oxygen saturation, heart rate, and respiratory patterns during sleep. When chronic respiratory disease and SDB coexist, breathing disturbances during sleep may be exacerbated.

To identify SDB, sleep studies are commonly used to assess oxygen levels, heart rate, and breathing patterns. The objective of this research is to identify differences between patients with chronic respiratory diseases who have SDB and those who do not. This will be achieved by analysing sleep study data using a novel analytical approach. The aim is to determine whether this method can yield more detailed insights into the underlying pathophysiology of these conditions.