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Scientific Oral Presentations

Sleep Medicine

Session: Scientific Oral Presentation 1 - Sleep

Comprehensive Validation of the Standardized List Evaluating Apnea (SLEAP) Survey

Saturday, October 11, 2025
4:24 PM - 4:30 PM EDT
Location: 136
Disclosure(s):
Mohamed Faisal Kassir, BS:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Lauren A. Howser, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Mohamed A. Abdelwahab, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) significantly impacts quality of life (QoL), yet existing patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) often lack the specificity or practicality required for clinical use. The Standardized List Evaluating Apnea (SLEAP) was developed as a concise, OSA-specific PROM to assess physical, mental, and social domains of QoL.

Methods: A prospective study of 176 adults diagnosed with OSA was conducted to introduce SLEAP as a novel, effective clinical tool for assessing OSA severity. The study was structured in three phases: the development of SLEAP guided by the WHO framework, psychometric evaluation, and validation. Key evaluations included SLEAP’s psychometric properties, clinical applicability, and reliability, with analyses of the Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID), Item Response Theory (IRT), differential item functioning (DIF), and convergent validity. MCID and Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) were determined using a distribution-based approach. DIF analyses were performed to account for sex and age, while correlations with established scales (ESS, FSS, FOSQ) were examined to confirm validity.

Results: SLEAP demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.92) and test-retest reliability. The MCID was 12 points, indicating sensitivity to meaningful clinical changes. IRT analysis revealed strong discrimination across items, with performance optimized at average QoL levels. DIF analysis identified significant sex-related DIF for one item and age-related DIF for three items. SLEAP scores strongly correlated with ESS (r = 0.60) and FSS (r = 0.65) and FOSQ (r = -0.6), supporting its validity.

Conclusions: SLEAP is a reliable, concise, and clinically relevant tool for assessing QoL in OSA patients. Its robust psychometric properties and strong convergent validity make it a valuable instrument for clinical and research applications. Further studies should explore its use in diverse populations.

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Mohamed Faisal Kassir, BS

    MD-PhD Student
    Medical University of South Carolina
    Charleston, South Carolina, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

    • Co-Author(s)

  • MS

    Mikhail Saltychev, PhD

    Turku University Hospital, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • CM

    Claire Munhall, DNP

    Medical University of South Carolina, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Lauren A. Howser, MD

    Resident Physician
    Medical University of South Carolina
    Charleston, South Carolina, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Mohamed A. Abdelwahab, MD

    Sleep and Facial Skeletal Surgery, Director
    Medical University of South Carolina
    Charleston, SC, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.