Quel est l'intérêt du test de maintien de l'éveil pour déterminer l'aptitude à la conduite chez les patients somnolents ?

Sleepiness at the wheel has been identified as one of the major reasons for highway accidents and fatal crashes. Moreover, it is shown that treatment of nocturnal respiratory disorders by continuous positive airway pressure reduces the risk of accident in sleep apnea patients. These findings have raised questions for clinicians who treat patients on the assessment of sleepiness at the wheel and on the evaluation of the impact of treatment on the risk of accident. The evaluation of subjective sleepiness by questionnaires or scales can be confusing especially when it involves professional issues. Electrophysiological tests such as Maintenance of Wakefulness Test or Multiple Sleep Latency Test open new perspectives for the evaluation of road safety in sleepy patients. Here, on the basis of experimental driving data, we will discuss how to achieve and interpret the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test.