Advances in Sleep and Respiratory Medicine

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Diagnosis and Prognosis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 2843

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
Interests: medical technology; sleep medicine; chest medicine; air pollution

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sleep and respiratory disorders are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to global morbidity and mortality, with growing implications for public health and healthcare systems. This Special Issue, entitled “Advances in Sleep and Respiratory Medicine”, aims to showcase the latest research, innovations, and clinical advancements in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), insomnia, hypersomnia, and other related disorders.

We welcome the submission of original research articles, clinical trials, review papers, and translational studies that explore novel diagnostic tools (e.g., wearable sensors, wireless monitoring), therapeutic interventions (e.g., CPAP optimization), and integrative approaches that link respiratory health with cardiovascular, neurological, or metabolic outcomes. We particularly encourage the submission of studies incorporating artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and digital health solutions in sleep and respiratory care.

Dr. Cheng-Yu Tsai
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sleep and respiratory disorders
  • chest medicine
  • AI in healthcare
  • digital technology
  • precision diagnostics

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Other

22 pages, 3279 KB  
Article
Anatomical Determinants of Tracheal Breathing Sounds: A Computational Study of Airway Narrowing and Obstructive Sleep Apnea
by Walid Ashraf, Jeffrey J. Fredberg and Zahra Moussavi
Diagnostics 2025, 15(24), 3108; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15243108 - 7 Dec 2025
Viewed by 270
Abstract
Background: Tracheal breathing sounds (TBS) have demonstrated strong potential as a non-invasive, wakefulness-based diagnostic tool for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); yet the relationship between specific upper airway anatomical features and the resulting TBS spectra remains insufficiently understood. This study aims to enhance [...] Read more.
Background: Tracheal breathing sounds (TBS) have demonstrated strong potential as a non-invasive, wakefulness-based diagnostic tool for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); yet the relationship between specific upper airway anatomical features and the resulting TBS spectra remains insufficiently understood. This study aims to enhance the diagnostic utility of TBS in OSA by investigating how the upper airway anatomy influences TBS spectral characteristics. Method: Patient-specific computational models of the upper airway were reconstructed from high-resolution CT scans of a healthy subject and an individual with OSA. Additional variants were generated with targeted constrictions at the velopharynx, oropharynx, and trachea, based on clinically reported anatomical ranges. Airflow dynamics were simulated using Large Eddy Simulation (LES), and the resulting acoustic responses were computed via Lighthill’s acoustic analogy within a hybrid aero-acoustic framework. Results: Oropharyngeal constriction generated the most spatially concentrated vorticity patterns among single-region constricted models. Airway Resistance analysis revealed that severe velopharyngeal and oropharyngeal constrictions contributed most to regional airway resistance. Spectral analysis showed that velopharyngeal narrowing produced a progressive downward shift in the third resonance peak (1000–1700 Hz), while oropharyngeal narrowing induced an upward shift of the third peak and a downward shift of the fourth peak (1700–2500 Hz). These frequency shifts were attributed to the effective role of acoustic mass and airway compliance. Conclusions: Anatomical modifications of the upper airway produce region-specific changes in both flow and acoustic responses. These findings support the use of TBS spectral analysis for non-invasive localization of airway obstructions in OSA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sleep and Respiratory Medicine)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research

23 pages, 1470 KB  
Systematic Review
Radar-Based Detection of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Accuracy Across Frequency Bands
by Nguyen Binh Minh Hoang Tran, Thi Quynh Trang Tran, Cheng-Yu Tsai and Jiunn-Horng Kang
Diagnostics 2025, 15(16), 2111; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15162111 - 21 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2271
Abstract
Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most prevalent yet underdiagnosed sleep disorders. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of radar-based systems and ranked frequency bands for the non-contact detection of OSA. Methods: A systematic search of six databases was [...] Read more.
Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most prevalent yet underdiagnosed sleep disorders. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of radar-based systems and ranked frequency bands for the non-contact detection of OSA. Methods: A systematic search of six databases was conducted from inception to May 23, 2025. Eligible studies included adults assessed for OSA using radar-based systems compared to polysomnography. Hierarchical SROC modeling, threshold-based meta-analyses, and frequency band-stratified network meta-analysis were performed. Certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD420251059236. Results: We identified 23,906 records and included 20 studies involving 1540 participants. The primary outcome included a high area under the curve (AUC) of approximately 0.91, an optimal apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) cutoff of ≥22 with a sensitivity of 0.8155 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.6862–0.8993) and specificity of 0.8819 (95% CI: 0.7799–0.9402). At an AHI threshold of 30, X-band dual radar performed the best, followed by K-band, which yielded significant but more variable results. C-bands consistently showed lower diagnostic values. Conclusions: This study provides a novel radar band comparison for OSA detection, highlighting clinically relevant thresholds. Key limitations are indirect comparisons and limited, varied samples. Radar-based systems show high sensitivity for OSA detection, optimized by frequency, radar type, artificial intelligence support, and dual sensors within 0.2–1.5 m. Future work should expand the frequency analysis, standardize AHI thresholds, and validate results in specific subgroups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sleep and Respiratory Medicine)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop