ELF attends the European Respiratory Society Sleep and Breathing Conference

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) Sleep and Breathing Conference took place from 10–12 April in Antwerp. Co-organised by the ERS and the European Sleep Research Society, the 8th edition of the event brought together specialists in sleep-related breathing disorders and patients from across Europe to discuss the latest research and treatment for the conditions. 

Luca Roberti and Mark De Quidt from the ELF Sleep Patient Advisory Group (PAG) joined Clare Williams, Patient Involvement and Engagement Coordinator, to share the patient’s perspective at the event. They shared examples of recent activities involving patients and how the outcomes from these can be used to shape future care for the conditions. 

Patients at the heart of research 

“The Sleep and Breathing Conference brought patients together with leading experts from across Europe and beyond. Sleep and breathing disorders are a very complex issue and multiple professionals are often required to treat these conditions. It was great that we were able to have an active role in sharing our knowledge with professionals at the event.”

– Luca Roberti, ELF Sleep PAG and President of the Italian Sleep Apnoea Association

At the event, Clare presented the findings from a recent ELF survey, exploring the challenges patients face when living with a sleep and breathing condition and the common issues with therapies. She highlighted how: 

• Many patients face delays in getting diagnosed with a sleep-related breathing disorder. Patients would like this to be sped up so they can receive the treatment they need on time.  

• Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is a common treatment for these conditions but can be challenging to use. Many patients would like to see new treatments that are as effective as PAP but easier to use.  

Luca also shared the findings from the SonnoAmico study conducted in Italy. Designed by the Italian Sleep Apnoea Association, it highlighted under-diagnosis as an issue with many sleep and breathing disorders. The study found: 

• More than half of the participants (over 6,000) in Italy were at high or medium risk of developing sleep apnoea 

• About 1 in 3 men (aged 30–70) and 1 in 3 women (aged 50–70) have moderate or severe sleep apnoea 

By sharing these findings with experts at the conference, the ELF Sleep PAG hopes that more will be done to educate people working in the field of the issues in diagnosis and treatment of these conditions so that more patients receive the care they need. 

Highlights from the event 

“It was an honour to attend the ERS Sleep and Breathing Conference. As patients, our views sometimes differ from those of healthcare professionals. By being there, we remind the people attending that patient views and experiences are key to successful treatment.”

– Mark De Quidt, ApneuVereniging Vlaanderen

The ELF Sleep PAG attended several symposia at the event, covering a range of topics. They were especially interested to learn: 

• The challenges men and women face when living with sleep and breathing conditions. Women often take longer to be diagnosed and are not always taken seriously by doctors. 

• Losing weight might not lower the risk of sleep apnoea for everyone. Whilst this works for some people, not all patients benefit from this. 

• The benefits of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. Although CPAP is not always easy to use, research shows it might improve heart health. 

• New drug therapies and the role of artificial intelligence (AI). These could help more people manage their conditions in the future and provide a personalised approach to treatment. 

Future directions 

“I hope that our insights from the conference can be used to shape future research and personalise treatments for people with sleep-related breathing disorders worldwide.” – Luca Roberti