Abstract

SA.11.06

Pupillographic assessment of driver sleepiness

Wilhelm B.¹, Wilhelm H.², Weil de Vega C.¹, Durst W.¹, Otto G.^1
1Steinbeis Transferzentrum Biomedizinische Optik und Funktionsprüfung, Kompetenzbereich II, Autonomes Nervensystem und Sicherheitsstudien, Tübingen; ²Universitäts-Augenklinik Tübingen

Car-driving demands a high level of attention and concentration. At least 25% of accidents on German roads occur as a consequence of driver sleepiness. On the way to change this, an objective and quantitative risk analysis about the hazards of sleepiness on the road is inevitable.
PST: Central nervous activation was assessed by the Pupillographic Sleepiness Test (PST by AMTech, Weinheim, Germany) described elsewhere. This recording is performed in the sitting subject and lasts 11 minutes. Car-drivers (n=63) were recruited an examined anonymously on a voluntary base at the road house. Subjects were asked about time at the wheel, time awake, caffeine and nicotine consumption and subjective sleepiness. All drivers received advices and recommendations how to prevent sleepiness at the wheel. Analysis: The natural logarithm of the Pupillary Unrest Index (lnPUI) was analysed and classified according to the reference values of the PST into three classes: normal (< mean plus one standard deviation, SD), extremely sleepy (> mean plus two SD) and suspected sleepy (between the others). Frequencies of sleepiness classification were determined and correlations were calculated according to Spearman concerning PUI, subjective sleepiness and/or behavioural variables.
PUI was in the normal range in 43% of the group while 25% showed severe sleepiness. 32% were suspected for sleepiness. This is in line with former studies. In contradiction to this study other projects have shown significant PUI-correlations to subjective sleepiness and/or behavioural variables.
Acknowledgments: This investigator-initiated trial was sponsored by * Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt, Gesundheit und Verbraucherschutz, Referat 742 Arbeitsmedizin, Arbeitssicherheitsorganisation, München.

Copyright: Porstmann Kongresse GmbH. All rights reserved. Impressum, Disclaimer.