research

Primer of Polysomnogram Interpretation is written for the clinician in sleep medicine, but is also useful for the sleep technologist who wants to understand how the collected PSG and clinical data is used to synthesize an interpretation and diagnosis.
The book is presented in two sections, the first of which explains normative sleep data, general factors to be considered when interpreting PSG's, evaluating sleep stages, cardio respiratory parameters, measures of daytime sleepiness and a discussion of CPAP, BiPAP and split night studies. The second section is comprised of eight case studies.
The format Pressman uses in the first section is quite straightforward and concise. For each topic he first defines a clinical finding and gives alternative equivalent expressions. He then explains the general significance of the finding and gives possible explanations for abnormal results. Each section is concluded with several narrative sample statements to be included in the interpretive report. Another useful feature of the book is that the author provides a general algorithm for interpretation of the different portions of the PSG. Pressman has included many samples of sleep histograms along with a method for interpretation.
The case studies portion of the book includes eight cases in which the PSG as well as patient sleep history, sleep diary, evening and morning questionnaires are used to synthesize a report and diagnosis.
The experience of reading Primer of Polysomnogram Interpretation is similar to having an experienced clinician sit down beside the sleep tech and having a record review session. It gives the technologist an appreciation of what the interpreting clinician is looking for and needs to make a good interpretation of a PSG.