The objective of this study was to describe the driving behaviour of patients with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and the influence on their driving of diagnosis, therapy, legal guidelines and advises. An inventory based on questionnaires was done at the Centre for Sleep and Wake Disorders, in The Hague, the Netherlands. All EDS patients who were in a stable condition for at least 6 months after therapy were sent a questionnaire (n = 138). The questions concerned actual driving behaviour, EDS and the effects of diagnosis, therapy and advice given by the Centre. The response was 67% (n = 92). Eighteen patients had never driven a car. Eighteen of the other 74 patients quit driving or drove less. Fifty-six patients did not change their behaviour or drove even more. There was little effect on driving behaviour of diagnosis, therapy and advice to stop driving. EDS patients often participate as drivers in modern traffic. Legal guidelines and advice given by physicians have only little influence on this behaviour. As general measures seem to be ineffective, approaches tailored to the individual patient may produce more acceptable results. (A)
Abstract