What is the primary purpose of nocturnal oximetry?

The primary purpose of nocturnal oximetry is to assess oxygen levels during sleep. This diagnostic tool measures the saturation of oxygen in the blood over a period of time while an individual is asleep. By doing so, it can help identify issues such as sleep apnea or other respiratory conditions that may lead to drops in oxygen saturation. This is particularly important because oxygen desaturation can have significant implications for overall health, indicating potential hypoxemia that may occur during sleep.

Other options do not align with the main function of nocturnal oximetry. Assessing sleep architecture involves analyzing the different stages of sleep, which requires more comprehensive polysomnography rather than simple oxygen measurements. Diagnosing restless leg syndrome relies on clinical evaluation and patient history rather than oximetric data. Lastly, measuring sleep efficiency, which calculates the ratio of total sleep time to time spent in bed, involves different aspects that go beyond just monitoring oxygen levels.