Member since September 2019
www.cscnweb.ca
About The Society
Since Oct 2015, the Canadian Sleep and Circadian Network (CSCN) has brought together researchers with an interest in sleep and circadian disruptions and its impact on the health of Canadians (60 researchers in 19 universities). Its mission is to mobilize the healthcare community to adopt an integrated approach towards improving outcomes and treatment of patients with sleep and circadian disorders through:
• patient centered research,
• translation of research discoveries,
• integration of patient’s expertise, and
• training and career development.
With support of a Community Development Program grant of nearly $2 million jointly funded by ICRH and the CIHR-Institute of Aging (IA), the CSCN allows researchers to collaborate, network and share discoveries. The CSCN five-year priority was to reduce adverse outcomes associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to provide better treatments for OSA patients in Canada.
Activities and Accomplishments
- Creation of the Canadian Adult OSA Database (Project 1): Adult multi-site OSA database, which incorporates detailed demographic and phenotypic data, medical history, PSG, biological samples (genetic, serum, urine) and cognitive measures. The six sites (UBC, Calgary, Saskatoon, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City) have recruited over 1500 patients.
- Creation of the Canadian Obese OSA Children and Youth Database (Project 2): Largest Canadian sleep cohort of obese OSA children and youth. It includes PSG, detailed demographic and phenotypic data, medical history, family history, sleep/health habits, cognitive measures, quality of life instruments, blood markers and genetic markers. The two sites (Toronto, Ottawa) have enrolled over 120 participants.
- Creation of the Canadian Sleep Research Biobank (CSCN): The Canadian Sleep Research Biobank receives samples from Projects 1 and 2 but also from other Canadian sleep and circadian projects (e.g. insomnia, somnambulism, REM behaviour disorder, sleep in brain trauma, sleep in dementia). CSCN is now one of the international leaders in building multisite sleep biobanks.
- Sleep is now a key player in provincial/national aging database initiatives (Project 3):
- Sleep and relevant data have been obtained from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) (30,000 participants).
- Bridge between CSCN and the Canadian Consortium of Neurodegenerative Aging (CCNA) cohort (27 sites across Canada, individuals who are living with, or are at risk of developing, dementia) to include sleep measures in the assessments.
- Sleep and relevant data have been obtained from the Consortium for Early Identification of Alzheimer Disease- Quebec (CIMA-Q).
- To improve access and adherence to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment (Project 4):
- The evaluation of a “Fast Track” Respiratory Therapy Clinic for Patients with Suspected Severe OSA has been done.
- The effectiveness of two of the most common treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea has been investigated in a randomized trial.
- An environmental scan of funding models for OSA care in Canada has been performed.
- A patient survey on access to care, costs, delays, etc. was designed and distributed; 520 responses were received.
- Development of a professional training program and webinars. Creation of Multicenter Menthorship Program Awards, Outstanding Science Awards, Sleep Medicine Fellowship Awards and travel awards for trainees.
- Creation of a Stakeholder Alliance and Development of a Canadian Sleep Campaign called “Sleep on it”. This awareness campaign aims to promote to the public the importance of sleep to maintain a good health, to demystify sleep difficulties, and to offer solutions to patients suffering from them. This endeavour is in partnership with the Canadian Sleep Society, Fondation Sommeil, Wake-Up Narcolepsy Canada and World Sleep Societies. This sleep campaign will be launched nationally at the World Sleep Society Meeting in Vancouver (Sept 2019).