MEASURING PROCESS FOR EVALUATING THE UPPER AIRWAY COLLAPSIBILITY, AND RELATED APPARATUS

摘要

The invention concerns a process for measuring the upper airway collapsibility of a subject to examine, comprising the following steps: A. detecting an air flow at the mouth (1) of the subject under examination, B. calculating at least one quantity as a function of said air flow detected in step A, C. when said at least one quantity exceeds at least one threshold, generating vacuum pressure at the mouth (1) of the subject under examination, D. monitoring an expiratory air flow of the subject under examination for at least a first limited time length starting from the initial instant of generation of said vacuum pressure at the mouth (1) of the subject under examination, the process being characterised in that it further comprises the following step: E. detecting the maximum drop of expiratory air flow of the subject under examination during said first time length of step D. The invention further concerns the related measuring apparatus.