Posterior fossa decompression in patients with Chiari malformation type 1: effect on sleep apnea and follow-up outcomes.

PURPOSE: Sleep apnea, posing significant health risks, is frequently associated with Chiari malformation (CM), characterized by cerebellar tonsil herniation through the foramen magnum. Central sleep apnea (CSA) in CM results from impaired brain-to-muscle signaling and requires treatment. Conversely, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), arising from throat muscle relaxation, typically unrelated to CM, often coexists. This study evaluates the effectiveness of posterior fossa decompression (PFD) on sleep apnea. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of pediatric patients with CM-1 and sleep apnea who underwent PFD between April 1, 2004, and September 30, 2022. Data collected included demographics, clinical characteristics, adenotonsillectomy status, PFD details, and sleep study parameters like the apnea-hypopnea index and respiratory disturbance index. Statistical analysis assessed the surgery's impact on sleep apnea severity. RESULTS: The study included eleven patients, predominantly male (63.6%). All had OSA (100%), with 63.6% also having CSA. Preoperative sleep studies classified OSA severity as 36.4% mild, 18.2% moderate, and 45.5% severe, with no change post-surgery. CSA severity initially included seven mild cases, which became three mild, one moderate, and three resolved cases post-surgery. Among seven patients who had adenotonsillectomy before decompression, five showed no improvement in OSA severity post-surgery. CONCLUSION: This study elucidates the complex relationship between CM-1, sleep apnea, and PFD. The findings show the persistence of sleep apnea in some patients and highlight the need for continuous monitoring of these patients in order to optimize their care after surgery.

Anti-IgLON5 disease with severe central sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: A case report.

Anti-IgLON family protein 5 (IgLON5) antibody-related encephalitis is a rare but increasingly recognized central nervous system autoimmune disease. It displays heterogeneity in clinical presentation. As the clinical case repository expands, our understanding of the disease's clinical phenotypes and therapeutic approaches continues to evolve. This report details a 73-year-old male's case, initially misdiagnosed with narcolepsy due to excessive daytime sleepiness and sleep-related involuntary behaviors, but later found to have severe respiratory disturbances, diverging from narcolepsy. During treatment, the patient's condition progressed to respiratory failure, necessitating further investigation. Diagnosis was confirmed through positive serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests for anti-IgLON5 antibodies. Treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), immunoglobulin pH4, and corticosteroids significantly improved his condition. This case underscores the critical need for awareness of anti-IgLON5 encephalitis within the differential diagnosis of complex sleep disorders, highlighting its potential for severe progression and the challenges associated with its diagnosis.

Correlates of sleep-disordered breathing and Cheyne-Stokes respiration in patients with atrial fibrillation who have undergone pulmonary vein isolation.

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a common comorbidity in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for AF have a high prevalence of SDB. In previous studies, some patients with AF had Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR). The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of SDB and the correlates of SDB severity and CSR in AF patients who have undergone PVI. The study was conducted using a single-center observational design. All participants underwent a home sleep apnea test (ApneaLink Air, ResMed, Australia), which could determine the severity of SDB as assessed by the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and the percentage of CSR (%CSR) pattern. 139 AF patients who underwent PVI were included in the study. Overall, 38 (27.3%) patients had no SDB (AHI < 5), 53 (38.1%) had mild SDB (5 ≤ AHI < 15), 33 (23.7%) had moderate SDB (15 ≤ AHI < 30), and 15 (10.8%) had severe SDB (AHI ≥ 30). Correlates of the increased AHI included male sex (ß = 0.23, p = 0.004), age (ß = 0.19, p = 0.020), high body mass index (ß = 0.31, p < 0.001), and ß blockers usage (ß = 0.18, p = 0.024). Conversely, correlates with the %CSR rate included male sex (ß = 0.18, p = 0.020), age (ß = 0.19, p = 0.015), non-paroxysmal AF (ß = 0.22, p = 0.008), and high glycohemoglobin A1c (ß = 0.36, p < 0.001) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (ß = 0.24, p = 0.005) levels. SDB is prevalent in patients with AF who have undergone PVI; predisposing factors for SDB include male sex, older age, and obesity. CSR occurs in patients with AF who have undergone PVI; predisposing factors for CSR include male sex, older age, high left ventricular filling pressure, and abnormal blood glucose level.

SLEEP APNEA IS A COMMON AND DANGEROUS CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTOR.

Sleep apnea involves almost one billion individuals throughout the world, including 40 million Americans. Of major medical concern is the fact that the prevalence of sleep apnea is significantly increasing due to the epidemic of obesity, physical inactivity, and diabetes mellitus which are important risk factors for the development and persistence of sleep apnea in individuals. Sleep apnea is characterized by multiple episodes of apnea or hypopnea during sleep, which cause nocturnal arousals, gasping for breath during the night, daytime sleepiness, irritability, forgetfulness, fatigue and recurrent headaches. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when upper airway obstruction occurs in an individual during sleep with absent or markedly reduced airflow in the presence of continued activity of inspiratory thoracic and diaphragmatic muscles. Central sleep apnea is defined as the absence or the significant reduction of naso-oral airflow due to the withdrawal during sleep of ponto-medullary respiratory center stimulation of the nerves of the inspiratory thoracic and diaphragmatic muscles and absence of contraction of these muscles during apnea. Complex sleep apnea occurs when an individual exhibits characteristics of both obstructive and central sleep apnea. The severity of sleep apnea is measured by polysomnography and the apnea hypopnea index (AHI), which is the average number of apneas and hypopneas per hour of sleep measured by polysomnography. Sleep apnea is mild if the AHI is 5-14/hour with no or mild symptoms, moderate if the AHI is 15 to 30/hour with occasional daytime sleepiness, and severe if the AHI is >30/hour with frequent daytime sleepiness that interferes with the normal activities of daily life. Chronic sleep apneas and hypopneas followed by compensatory hyperpneas are associated with significant adverse cardiovascular consequences including: 1) recurrent hypoxemia and hypercarbia; 2) Increased sympathetic nerve activity and decreased parasympathetic nerve activity; 3) oxidative stress and vascular endothelial dysfunction; and 4) cardiac remodeling and cardiovascular disease. Moderate or severe sleep apnea significantly increases the risk of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, cerebral vascular events (strokes), and cardiac dysrhythmias, and also increase the morbidity and mortality of these diseases. Nevertheless, sleep apnea is currently underdiagnosed and untreated in many individuals due to the challenges in the prediction and detection of sleep apnea and a lack of well-defined optimal treatment guidelines. Chronic continuous positive airway pressure for ≥4 hours/night for >70% of nights is beneficial in the treatment of patients with sleep apnea. CPAP Improves sleep quality, reduces the AHI, augments cardiac output and increases oxygen delivery to brain and heart, reduces resistant hypertension, decreases cardiac dysrhythmias, and reduces daytime sleepiness. The present article discusses the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and complex apnea. Thereafter the important pathophysiologic mechanisms in sleep apnea and the relationship of these pathophysiologic mechanics to atherosclerotic vascular disease are reviewed. Guidelines are then provided for the treatment of mild, moderate and severe sleep apnea In order to reduce the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality caused by sleep apnea and facilitate the diagnosis and the long-term, effective treatment of sleep apnea in patients, the close cooperation is necessary of cardiovascular specialists, pulmonary specialists, and respiratory therapy/ rehabilitation specialists.

The effect of central sleep apnea on sleep architecture in children with obstructive sleep apnea.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate how central sleep apnea (CSA) impacts sleep patterns in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). METHODS: Children undergoing polysomnography (PSG) were enrolled and sorted into two groups: those with OSA alone (Group A) and those with both OSA and CSA (CAI <1 nd: children with 10 % CSA or more and less than 50 %, Group B). Statistical analysis was conducted to compare sleep structure and clinical features between Group A and Group B. RESULTS: Group B exhibited significantly higher respiratory events, apnea hypoventilation index, apnea index and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) compared to Group A (p < 0.05). Group B also showed higher total sleep time and arousal index than Group A (P < 0.05). The proportion of time spent in stage N3 was lower in Group B than in Group A (P < 0.05). Moreover, mean heart rate and minimum heart rate were higher in Group B compared to Group A (P < 0.05).Minimum oxygenation levels (including non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stages) were lowe in Group B than in Group A (P < 0.05). Additionally, the prevalence of positional obstructive sleep apnea (P-OSA) was greater in Group B than in Group A (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In comparison to those with OSA alone, children with OSA and concurrent CSA exhibited distinct sleep patterns, including reduced N3uration, higher arousal index, longer respiratory events, higher ODI, and lower oxygen saturation, higher heart rate.

A case of central sleep apnea associated with CLIPPERS.

A 78-year-old man with history of chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) syndrome, moderate persistent asthma, pansinusitis, and upper airway cough syndrome presented to the sleep medicine clinic for evaluation of sleep-disordered breathing. Brain MR imaging showed lesions in the pons and midbrain. Diagnostic polysomnography was remarkable for central sleep apnea.

Nocturnal Cardiac Arrhythmias in Heart Failure With Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnea.

BACKGROUND: Both OSA and central sleep apnea (CSA) may contribute to nocturnal cardiac arrhythmias (NCAs). Data are scarce regarding the prevalence of clinically important nocturnal atrial and ventricular arrythmias in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and OSA or CSA. RESEARCH QUESTION: In a cohort of patients with HFrEF, how does the prevalence of NCA compare among those with OSA, CSA, and those with no to mild sleep apnea? Is the severity of OSA or CSA associated with atrial and ventricular NCAs? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis is an ancillary study of the Effect of Adaptive Servo Ventilation on Survival and Hospital Admissions in Heart Failure (ADVENT-HF) trial. We compared the prevalence of NCAs (excessive supraventricular ectopic activity [ESVEA], defined as premature atrial complexes ≥30/h or supraventricular tachycardia ≥ 20 beats); atrial fibrillation/flutter [AF]; and > 10 premature ventricular complexes [PVC/h]) on ECGs from polysomnograms of patients with HFrEF between those with OSA (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI ≥ 15 events/h]), those with CSA (AHI ≥ 15 events/h), and those with no to mild sleep apnea (AHI < 15 events/h [control]). RESULTS: The prevalence of ESVEA was higher in patients with OSA (n = 430) and CSA (n = 150) compared with control participants (n = 76): 0%, 9%, and 12%, respectively. The prevalence of AF in the control, OSA, and CSA groups was 9%, 17%, and 27%; the prevalence of > 10 PVC/h was 45%, 59%, and 63%. In multivariable regression analyses, premature atrial complexes/h was associated with OSA severity (obstructive AHI: 22.4% increase per 10 events/h [95% CI, 5.2-42.3; P = .009), although neither obstructive nor central AHI was associated with AF or > 10 PVC/h. INTERPRETATION: In patients with HFrEF, the prevalences of nocturnal ESVEA, AF, and PVC > 10/h were higher in those with OSA or CSA than in those without OSA or CSA, and OSA severity was related to the burden of nocturnal atrial ectopy. Severity of OSA or CSA was not significantly related to AF or > 10 PVC/h. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT01128816; URL: www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov.

Phrenic nerve stimulation for central sleep apnea: a single institution experience.

PURPOSE: Phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat moderate to severe central sleep apnea. We report here, results of a retrospective study regarding our institutional outcomes at one year. In this study we evaluated the change in the apnea hypopnea index, epworth sleepiness score, and functional outcomes of sleep score at one year post implant. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of patients ≥ 18 years of age who had PNS implanted for moderate to severe CSA at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center apnea between Feb 1, 2018 to July 1, 2021. Sleep disordered breathing parameters and objective sleepiness as measured by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores, and Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ) scores were assessed at baseline and one-year post-implant. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were implanted with PNS at OSU between February 1, 2018 and May, 31, 2022. The AHI showed a statistically significant decrease from a median of 40 events/hour at baseline to 18 at follow-up (p-value = 0.003). The CAI decreased from 16 events/hour to 2 events/hour (p-value of 0.001). The obstructive apnea index, mixed apnea index, and hypopnea index did not significantly change. The ESS scores had a statistically significant improvement from a median score of 12 to 9 (p-value = 0.028). While the FOSQ showed a trend to improvement from 15.0 to 17.8, it was not statistically significant (p-value of 0.086). CONCLUSION: Our study found that PNS therapy for moderate to severe CSA improves overall AHI and CAI. Objective sleepiness as measured by the ESS also improved at one-year post implant.

Central sleep apnea: emphasizing recognition and differentiation.

INTRODUCTION: Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder in which the effort to breathe is intermittently diminished or absent. CSA is a common disorder among patients with different cardiovascular disorders, including heart failure. In addition, a growing number of medications have been shown to induce CSA and CSA can emerge after initiation of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Accumulating evidence shows that CSA is a heterogeneous disorder with individual differences in clinical and biological characteristics and/or underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. AREAS COVERED: This narrative review offers an overview of the diagnostic aspects and classification of CSA, with an emphasis on heart failure patients, patients with CSA due to a medication and treatment-emergent CSA. The importance of evaluation of prognostic biomarkers in patients with different types of CSA is discussed. This narrative review synthesizes literature on CSA sourced from the PubMed database up to February 2024. EXPERT OPINION: CSA presents a remarkably diverse disorder, with treatment modalities exhibiting potentially varied efficacy across its various phenotypes. This highlights the imperative for tailored management strategies that are rooted in phenotype classification.

Management Challenges of Sleep-Disordered Breathing in a Child With Chronic Kidney Disease: A Case Report of a Child on Peritoneal Dialysis.

Chronic kidney disease in children is a challenging condition that requires careful management. When combined with sleep-disordered breathing, it can pose even greater difficulties. This case report highlights the management challenges of a child with chronic kidney disease and sleep-disordered breathing. Through careful analysis and effective intervention, we were able to address the challenges and improve the child's quality of life. Understanding the complex interaction between these two conditions is crucial for healthcare professionals to provide effective care for children with chronic kidney disease and sleep-disordered breathing.