Sleep
-
To investigate and explain sex differences in subjective and actigraphic sleep parameters in community-dwelling elderly persons. ⋯ If assessed by diary or interview, elderly women consistently reported shorter and poorer sleep than elderly men. In contrast, actigraphic sleep measures showed poorer sleep in men. These discrepancies are partly explained by determinants of sleep duration, such as sleep medication use and alcohol consumption.
-
To evaluate endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and endothelium-independent nitroglycerin (NTG)-induced dilation of the brachial artery with Doppler ultrasound in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and impact of six months of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. ⋯ Our results confirm the previous reports suggesting impaired endothelium-dependent FMD in OSA, and additionally document the sustained improvement in endothelial function after 6 months of CPAP treatment in complaint patients.
-
Certain respiratory control characteristics determine whether patients with collapsible upper airway develop stable or unstable breathing during sleep, thereby influencing the severity of obstructive apnea (OSA). These include arousal threshold (T(A)), response to transient hypoxia and hypercapnia (Dynamic Response) and the increase in respiratory drive required for arousal-free airway opening (T(ER)). We wished to determine whether these characteristics are inherent or are acquired during untreated OSA. ⋯ T(ER) may be an inherent characteristic. Untreated OSA results in an increase in dynamic response to asphyxia and an increase in arousal threshold.