Sleep and Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Commercial Long-Haul Truck Drivers

We have performed a study assessing the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in a large US trucking company using a validated portable monitor (MESAM-4) and a validated symptom questionnaire. Three hundred eighty-eight drivers with a mean age of 36 years filled out the questionnaire. One hundred fifty-nine drivers with a mean age of 35 years spent the night at the terminal hub where they underwent monitoring for identification of sleep-disordered breathing. The drivers also had blood pressure recorded while awake, seated, and after 15 min of quiet rest. Seventy-eight percent of the drivers had an oxygen desaturation index (ODI) ≥5 per hour of sleep; 10% had an ODI ≥30 per hour of sleep. There was a significant difference in the body mass index (BMI) between drivers with ODI <5 and drivers with ODI ≥5 (25.7 ±6.0 kg/m² in drivers with ODI <5 vs 29.0±6.3 kg/m² in drivers with ODI ≥5, p<0.001). Sixteen percent of all drivers tested were hypertensive. Twelve percent were unaware of their hypertension. Hypertensive drivers were significantly more overweight (p<0.0001), slept more restlessly (p<0.04), took more naps (p<0.03), and woke up more frequently during the night (p<0.005). About 20% of drivers presented symptoms indicating very regular sleep disturbances. Drivers who had been with the company for more than 1 year were more likely to present daytime fatigue, daytime tiredness, unrestorative sleep, hypertension, and higher BMI. Long-haul truck drivers have very irregular sleep/wake schedules and a high prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing. Chronic sleep/wake disruption and partial, prolonged sleep deprivation may worsen sleep-disordered breathing. This combination of problems may impact significantly on the daytime alertness of truckers.