UA News

Dr. Stuart F. Quan studies obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which the airway behind the tongue collapses during sleep and obstructs the airway.

A University of Arizona sleep apnea expert credited with linking the disorder to heart failure and other conditions has been recognized by the American Academy of Sleep Disorders.

Dr. Stuart F. Quan, a member of the Arizona Respiratory Center and professor emeritus of medicine, recently was presented with the 2010 William C. Dement Academic Achievement Award. Named after the father of sleep medicine, the award recognizes members of the sleep field who display exceptional initiative and progress in the areas of sleep education and academic research. Previous recipients have been among the most prominent sleep researchers and academics in the world. 

"I'm honored to receive this award because the recipient is selected by his or her peers," said Quan, who has served as  associate head of the department of medicine, chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine, program director of the General Clinical Research Center, and director of the Sleep Disorders Center.

Quan studies obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which the airway behind the tongue collapses during sleep and obstructs the airway. It's estimated that 4 percent of middle-aged men and 2 percent of middle-aged women have the condition.

His research has found that obstructive sleep apnea is a risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease, heart failure, diabetes mellitus and premature death, especially in men.

"Sleep, until recently, has been a black box. Everyone does it, but why we do it is still unclear," Quan said. "Myself and others are now showing that good sleep health is essential for optimal quality of life, and that sleep disorders lead to a significant adverse impact on health, society and the economy."

Quan is principal investigator for the Tucson Children's Assessment of Sleep Apnea Study, which seeks to determine the correlates and long-term consequences of obstructive sleep apnea in children. The work suggests that the presence of obstructive sleep apnea in children has an impact on learning and behavior.

Quan also was the principal investigator at a field site for both the Sleep Heart Health Study and the Apnea Positive Pressure Long-term Efficacy Study.

"Dr. Quan is at the forefront of academic sleep research and is recognized as one of the leaders in the sleep field," Dr. Patrick J. Strollo, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, said in a statement. "His commitment to teaching and research has helped advance the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders."

Quan received his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine and completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Wisconsin. He also completed fellowships in critical care medicine and emergency medicine at UCSF and pulmonary medicine at the UA.

Quan served on the AASM board of directors from 1997 to 2005, and in 2005 he became editor of the organization's Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

Quan received his award at the 24th Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC, held in June in San Antonio, Texas.