Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is a highly prevalent disorder caused by the collapse of the upper airway during sleep [1]. In a USA nationwide study, 6.6% of 77.8 million individuals aged 30–94 years had a diagnosis of OSA [2]. Using the American Academy of Sleep Medicine 2012 scoring criteria, Benjafield et al estimated that 425 million adults have moderate to severe OSAS worldwide [3]. Researchers of the Centro di Ricerche dell'Assistenza Sanitaria e Sociale (CERGAS) of the Bocconi University (Milano, Italy) estimated a prevalence of 12 million individuals with diagnosed or undiagnosed OSAS in Italy (27% of the adult population), with an average annual direct healthcare cost per patient of 1,528€ [4].
