Noncontact Infant Apnea Detection for Hypoxia Prevention With a K-Band Biomedical Radar.

Annually, a significant number of premature infants suffer from apnea, which can easily cause a drop in oxygen saturation levels, leading to hypoxia. However, infant cardiopulmonary monitoring using conventional methods often necessitates skin contact, and they are not suitable for long-term monitoring. This article introduces a non-contact technique for infant cardiopulmonary monitoring and an adjustable apnea detection algorithm. These are developed using a custom-designed K-band continuous-wave biomedical radar sensor system, which features a DC-coupled adaptive digital tuning function. By using radar technology to detect chest motions without physical contact, it is feasible to extract significant biological information regarding an infant's respiration and heartbeat. The proposed algorithm utilizes an adaptively adjusted threshold and personalized apnea warning time to automatically measure the total number of apneic events and their respective durations. Experiments have been conducted in clinical environment, demonstrating that both the accurate cardiopulmonary signals and the apneas of varying durations can be effectively monitored using this method, which suggest that the proposed technique has potential applications both inside and outside of clinical settings.

Self-reported sleep-disordered breathing and insomnia in association with hypertension: a community-based study in Eastern China.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the associations of self-reported sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and insomnia with hypertension based on a community-based survey among adults in Suzhou, Eastern China. METHODS: The Suzhou Food Consumption and Health Survey was conducted from 2018 to 2019. A multistage random sampling method was used to recruit potential participants. Associations of SDB and insomnia with hypertension were examined by multivariable logistic regression models with adjustment for covariates. In addition, sensitivity analysis was used to reinforce our findings. RESULTS: A total of 2728 participants were included in the final analysis. SDB (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.44-2.34; P < 0.001) and insomnia (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.04-1.65; P < 0.001) were significantly associated with prevalent hypertension after multivariable adjustments. In the subgroup analysis by age groups and sex, the association between SDB and hypertension persisted in all groups, whereas the association between insomnia and hypertension remained significant in males and different age groups. In addition, SDB was positively correlated with DBP. Notably, participants with comorbid SDB and insomnia had the highest risk for hypertension (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.40-2.72; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Both SDB and insomnia were associated with the prevalence of hypertension among the Chinese adults, whereas the comorbid conditions conveyed the highest risk for hypertension. Our findings provide a new insight for the potential pathogenesis of hypertension and a prevention strategy of hypertension among community adults.

Intranasal Leptin Prevents Opioid-induced Sleep-disordered Breathing in Obese Mice.

Respiratory depression is the main cause of morbidity and mortality associated with opioids. Obesity increases opioid-related mortality, which is mostly related to comorbid obstructive sleep apnea. Naloxone, a µ-opioid receptor blocker, is an effective antidote, but it reverses analgesia. Like humans with obesity, mice with diet-induced obesity hypoventilate during sleep and develop obstructive sleep apnea, which can be treated with intranasal leptin. We hypothesized that intranasal leptin reverses opioid-induced sleep-disordered breathing in obese mice without decreasing analgesia. To test this hypothesis, mice with diet-induced obesity were treated with morphine at 10 mg/kg subcutaneously and with leptin or placebo intranasally. Sleep and breathing were recorded by barometric plethysmography, and pain sensitivity was measured by the tail-flick test. Excitatory postsynaptic currents were recorded in vitro from hypoglossal motor neurons after the application of the µ-opioid receptor agonist [D-Ala2, N-MePhe4, Gly-ol]-enkephalin and leptin. Morphine dramatically increased the frequency of apneas and greatly increased the severity of hypoventilation and obstructive sleep apnea. Leptin decreased the frequency of apneas, improved obstructive sleep apnea, and completely reversed hypoventilation, whereas morphine analgesia was enhanced. Our in vitro studies demonstrated that [D-Ala2, N-MePhe4, Gly-ol]-enkephalin reduced the frequency of excitatory postsynaptic currents in hypoglossal motoneurons and that application of leptin restored excitatory synaptic neurotransmission. Our findings suggest that intranasal leptin may prevent opioid respiratory depression during sleep in patients with obesity receiving opioids without reducing analgesia.

El paciente ortodóncico en dentición mixta y los trastornos del sueño / The orthodontic patient with mixed dentition and sleep disorders

Los desórdenes respiratorios del sueño (DRS) y, principalmente, roncopatías y apneas obstructivas afectan aproximadamente al 7% de los pacientes ortodóncicos. Los DRS no solo son importantes por la cantidad de pacientes afectados, sino por la gravedad de los posibles efectos secundarios a nivel de la salud general del paciente. La obstrucción de las vías aéreas superiores (VAS) provoca alteraciones del crecimiento y deformaciones craneofaciales importantes, por lo que el tratamiento temprano y la prevención de la respiración oral es muy importante.El papel del ortodoncista es muy importante en el diagnóstico y en el tratamiento de los DRS, pero también en su prevención, realizando tratamientos que aumenten la dimensión y la permeabilidad de las VAS. El protocolo de exploración interdisciplinar en niños y adolescentes y la cefalometría de vías aéreas son importantes en el diagnóstico y deben ser tenidos en cuenta en el plan de tratamiento. Pero las pruebas más significativas, el CBCT de vías aéreas y la polisomnografía no son pruebas rutinarias por la dificultad logística y el precio de estas pruebas. En este artículo también se recomiendan los tratamientos de ortodoncia más indicados en estos casos y que tienden al aumento de la dimensión de las VAS (AU)

Sleep breathing disorders (SBD) and in the first place, roncopathy and obstructive apnea, affect approximately 7% of orthodontic patients. The SBD are not only important for the number of affected patients, but also for the severity of the possible side effects at the level of general health of a patient. The upper air ways (UAW) obstruction provokes important alterations in growth and craniofacial deformations, and this is why the early treatment and prevention of mouth breathing are very important. The role of an orthodontist in diagnosis and treatment of SBD is very important, but it is also in its prevention, carrying out the treatments which increase the dimension and permeability of UAW. The protocol of interdisciplinary examination.In children and adolescents and the air ways cephalometry analysis have an important role in diagnosis and they should be taken into account in treatment planning. But the most important tests, the air ways CBCT and polysomnography, are not routine tests due to the complicated logistics and their cost. In this article, the orthodontic treatments most indicated in these cases are recommended, because they tend to increase the UAW dimension (AU)

Nocturnal dialysis improves sleep apnea more than daytime dialysis: a meta-analysis of crossover studies.

PURPOSE: To systematically review the literature for articles evaluating differences in polysomnography (PSG) data when patients are on primarily daytime hemodialysis (conventional hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis) versus nocturnal hemodialysis (nocturnal hemodialysis or nocturnal peritoneal dialysis). Then to perform a meta-analysis on the available PSG data, specifically evaluating differences in apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and mean saturation of oxygen (SpO2) between these two groups. METHODS: Two authors systematically searched MEDLINE/Pubmed, Scopus, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane. Searches were performed through December 6, 2018. RESULTS: A total of four adult crossover studies (91 patients, age 50.4 ± 12.4, BMI 25.1 ± 5.3) reported PSG data. The daytime hemodialysis (DHD) and nocturnal hemodialysis (NHD) AHI decreased from 24.6 ± 18.2 to 12.6 ± 11.8 (events/hour) with a mean difference of -11.9 [95% CI -13.47, -10.37], Z score of 15.07 (P < 0.00001). The standardized mean difference was -1.35 [95% CI -2.70, 0.01]. Two studies reported mean SpO2 changes during PSG. The DHD and NHD SpO2 increased from 92.7 ± 2.4 to 94.7 ± 2.2 with a mean difference of 2.26 [95% CI -0.18, 4.71], Z score 1.82 (P = 0.07). CONCLUSION: In the current literature, nocturnal hemodialysis improves AHI more than daytime hemodialysis. A trend towards improvement in mean SpO2 with nocturnal dialysis was noted, but did not reach statistical significance. Consideration can be given for transitioning patients who have end stage renal disease and sleep apnea from daytime to nocturnal hemodialysis as an adjunct to other treatment modalities.

Obesity and sleep: a growing concern.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The 'obesity epidemic' is a growing concern globally, and obesity trends are projected to continue increasing in both prevalence and overall mean BMI. Cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities have historically been well described; however, obesity-related respiratory disease is now increasingly prevalent, in particular, sleep disordered breathing. The surge in clinically significant obstructive sleep apnoea and obesity hypoventilation syndrome is associated with increased cardiopulmonary morbidity, quality-of-life impairment, and a potential rise in the frequency of road traffic accidents. RECENT FINDINGS: We discuss recent trends in obesity and obesity-related sleep disordered breathing. We also discuss recently published international guidelines regarding the diagnosis and management of sleep disordered breathing, and in particular, the role of weight management interventions, such as bariatric surgery, in this area. We discuss possible approaches to meet the growing demand for sleep assessment and management in the future. SUMMARY: Obesity-related respiratory disease reflects an increasing proportion of patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. It is important to recognize the impact of obesity on pulmonary physiology in order to appropriately care for this population, as well as plan for the future.

The effect of atrial fibrillation intervention on nocturnal respiratory events in elderly patients with persistent AF.

BACKGROUND: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are associated. This study investigated the impact of AF intervention on 6-month home sleep testing data. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients (aged 66 to 86, 53% male) with persistent AF were randomized (1:1:1) to direct current cardioversion (DCCV) (22 patients), permanent pacemaker (PPM) + atrioventricular node ablation (AVNA) + DCCV (22 patients) or AF ablation (23 patients). Baseline and 6-month multichannel home sleep tests with the Watch-PAT200 (Itamar Medical Lts., Caesarea, Israel) were recorded. Implantable cardiac monitors (ICMs) (Medtronic Reveal XT, Minneapolis, Minnesota) in the DCCV and AF ablation groups, and PPM Holters in the 'pace and ablate' group were utilized to assess cardiac rhythm beat-to-beat throughout the study period. RESULTS: The prevalence of moderate-to-severe SDB [apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) ≥ 15/h] was 60%. At 6 months there was no change in AHI, Epworth sleepiness scale, sleep time, % REM sleep, respiratory desaturation index or central apnoeic events. Twenty-five patients (15 AF ablation, 9 DCCV and 1 following DCCV post-AVNA) maintained SR at 6 months confirmed on ICMs in these patients. AHI fell from 29.8 ± 26.6/h to 22.2 ± 20.4/h; P = 0.049. CONCLUSIONS: SDB is highly prevalent in patients with persistent AF. Restoration of sinus rhythm, and the associated long-term recovery of haemodynamics, is associated with a significant reduction in AHI. This implicates reversal of fluid shift from the lower limbs to the neck region, a key mechanism in the pathogenesis of SDB.

Harmonizing work with the treatment and prevention of sleep disordered breathing in commercial motor vehicle drivers: implications for health and productivity management.

The desastrous traffic accidents to date have provided the relevance for promotion of harmonization of work with treatment and prevention of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in transport sectors. SDB is highly prevalent in commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers and is one cause of cognitive impairment and consequent traffic accidents, potentially costing billions and leading to many deaths. Various screening, diagnostic, and therapeutic approaches, some well established, are explored in this paper. Although drivers with SDB need to be appropriately diagnosed and treated, some are reluctant to continue their treatment or never submit to screening because of a lack of information. Thus, CMV drivers need to be well informed and screened, in addition to being encouraged to continue the treatment. The harmonization of work with treatment and prevention aids these objectives, providing benefits not only for individual health but also for transport companies, and further being an essential step towards uptake of "health and productivity management" in the transport sectors.

Lifestyle Modification and Medical Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heterogenous condition associated with a myriad of symptoms. Just as in other disease states, the aim of medical therapy is the alleviation of suffering, improvement of longevity, and the prevention of complications. This article focuses on the associated comorbidities seen in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, potential lifestyle interventions, and conventional medical treatments for symptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Association between Erythrocyte Membrane Phospholipid Fatty Acids and Sleep Disturbance in Chinese Children and Adolescents.

The relationship between circulating fatty acid (FA) composition and childhood sleep disturbance remains largely unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of erythrocyte membrane FA composition with prevalence of sleep disturbance in Chinese children and adolescents. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2337 school-aged children and adolescents who completed a clinical assessment in Beijing, China. Presence of sleep disturbance was self-reported or parent-reported by questionnaires. Erythrocyte FAs were measured by gas chromatography, and desaturase activities were estimated by FA ratios. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for sleep disturbance across FA quartiles were calculated by a logistical regression model. We found higher proportions of erythrocyte phospholipid 24:0, 24:1n-9, and lower proportions of total n-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), 22:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 in participants with sleep disturbance compared with those without. In the logistical regression models, significant inverse associations were found for total n-3 PUFA, 22:5n-3 and 22:6n-3, the highest versus lowest quartile ORs and 95% CIs were 0.57 (0.40, 0.82), 0.67 (0.47, 0.97) and 0.69 (0.49, 0.96), respectively. For per 1 SD difference of proportion, OR and 95% CI of prevalence of sleep disturbance was 0.91 (0.86, 0.97) for total n-3 PUFA, 0.90 (0.82, 0.98) for 22:5n-3, and 0.92 (0.86, 0.99) for 22:6n-3, respectively. No significant association was found for saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids or FA ratios. The present study suggested that erythrocyte n-3 PUFAs, especially 22:5n-3 and 22:6n-3, are inversely associated with prevalence of sleep disturbance in Chinese children and adolescents.

Overcoming sleep disordered breathing and ensuring sufficient good sleep time for a healthy life expectancy.

Recent advances in basic and clinical medicine have resulted in major improvements in human health. Currently sleep has been considered an essential factor in maintaining and promoting a healthy life expectancy. Sleep disorders include more than 60 diseases. Sleep disordered breathings (SDB) have 17 disorders, including sleep apnea. SDB usually induces hypoxemia and hypercapnia, which would have significant effects on cells, organs, and the whole body. We have investigated SDB for nearly 35 years. We found that SDB has significant associations with humoral factors, including coagulation systems, the body's protective factors against diseases, and metabolic and organ diseases. Currently we have been giving attention to the associations among SDB, short sleep duration, and obesity. In addition, SDB is important not only in the home but under critical care such as in the perioperative stage. In this review, I would like to describe several aspects of SDB in relation to systemic diseases and overall health based mainly on our published reports.

Rhinitis and sleep disorders: The trigeminocardiac reflex link?

Rhinitis, allergic or non-allergic, is an inflammatory condition of the nose. It is associated with a wide range of sleep disorders that are generally attributed to nasal congestion and presence of inflammatory mediators like cytokines and interleukins. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms behind these sleep disorders remain unclear. On the other hand, the trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) has recently been linked to various sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea, sleep bruxism and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep apnea. TCR can be incited by stimulation of the trigeminal nerve or the area innervated by its branches including the nasal mucosa. Trigeminal nasal afferents can be activated on exposure to noxious stimuli (mechanical or chemical) like ammonia vapors, carbon-dioxide, nicotine, hypertonic saline, air-puffs and smoke. In rhinitis, there is associated neuronal hyper-responsiveness of sensory nasal afferents due to inflammation (which can be suppressed by steroids). This may further lead to increased occurrence of TCR in rhinitis. Moreover, there is involvement of autonomic nervous system both in rhinitis and TCR. In TCR, parasympathetic over activity and sympathetic inhibition leads to sudden onset bradycardia, hypotension, apnea and gastric motility. Also, the autonomic imbalance reportedly plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of rhinitis. Thus, considering these facts we hypothesize that the TCR could be the link between rhinitis and sleep disorders and we believe that further research in this direction may yield significant development in our understanding of sleep disorders in rhinitis.

Control of Ventilation in Health and Disease.

Control of ventilation occurs at different levels of the respiratory system through a negative feedback system that allows precise regulation of levels of arterial carbon dioxide and oxygen. Mechanisms for ventilatory instability leading to sleep-disordered breathing include changes in the genesis of respiratory rhythm and chemoresponsiveness to hypoxia and hypercapnia, cerebrovascular reactivity, abnormal chest wall and airway reflexes, and sleep state oscillations. One can potentially stabilize breathing during sleep and treat sleep-disordered breathing by identifying one or more of these pathophysiological mechanisms. This review describes the current concepts in ventilatory control that pertain to breathing instability during wakefulness and sleep, delineates potential avenues for alternative therapies to stabilize breathing during sleep, and proposes recommendations for future research.

Critical review of bariatric surgery, medically supervised diets, and behavioural interventions for weight management in adults.

AIMS: Patient selection of weight management treatment option is often guided by a variety of factors. Currently, there is no comprehensive tool to facilitate informed decision-making for patients and clinicians. This article aims to synthesise evidence on the treatment effectiveness, health benefits, risks, and patient experiences of treatment options presently available at the Weight Management Clinic at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH), as a first step towards developing a decision aid. METHODS: Narrative and systematic reviews published in English between 1999 and 2014 were included that focused on one or more of the following weight management treatments in adults aged 18 years and over: roux-en-y gastric bypass (RYGB), sleeve gastrectomy (SG), medically supervised meal replacement, and behavioural or lifestyle intervention. RESULTS: Overall, bariatric surgeries have received the greatest research attention and have been associated not only with greater weight loss and health benefit but also with greater risks, complications, and financial cost. Dietary programmes demonstrated weight loss and health benefits to a lesser extent than with surgery but were associated with lower and shorter-term risks and complications. Behavioural and lifestyle interventions have been studied less yet have shown significant, albeit small, weight loss outcomes alone and in combination with dietary or surgical options; they also appear to be the lowest risk interventions. Patient experiences of weight management options are mixed and not well understood. CONCLUSION: Further research is needed; however, this review identified some general trends related to weight loss outcomes, benefits, risks, and barriers for weight management options that have implications for shared treatment decision-making.

Redistribución de grasa intraabdominal en el tratamiento a largo plazo con presión positiva continua de la vía aérea en los pacientes con síndrome de apnea-hipopnea durante el sueño / Intraabdominal fat redistribution in long-term continuous positive airway pressure treatment in obstructive sleep apnea patients

Fundamento y objetivo: La obesidad es el principal factor de riesgo del síndrome de apneas-hipopneas del sueño (SAHS). El objetivo es evaluar el efecto de la continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP, «presión positiva continua de la vía aérea» a largo plazo en pacientes con SAHS sobre la grasa intraabdominal. Pacientes y métodos: Se incluyeron 50 pacientes SAHS con criterio de CPAP y 35 SAHS no candidatos a CPAP con un seguimiento de 2 años. El visceral adipose tissue (VAT, «tejido adiposo visceral»), el subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT, «tejido adiposo subcutáneo») y la preaortic intraabdominal fat (PIF, «grasa intraabdominal preaórtica») se midieron mediante ecografía. Resultados: En el grupo SAHS no candidatos a CPAP, la media del SAT y del VAT no cambió durante el seguimiento, pero se observó un aumento del PIF (55,19 [23,44] frente a 63,45 [23,94] mm, p = 0,021). En los pacientes SAHS tratados con CPAP, la media del VAT y del PIF no se modificó, pero el SAT disminuyó a los 2 años del tratamiento con CPAP (11,29 [5,69] frente a 10,47 [5,71] mm, p = 0,012). Conclusiones: El tratamiento con CPAP a largo plazo en los pacientes SAHS produce una redistribución de la grasa intraabdominal y se asocia a un perfil antropométrico de menor riesgo cardiovascular (AU)

Background and objective: Obesity is the main risk factor for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). The aim was to evaluate the long-term effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on intraabdominal fat distribution in OSA patients. Patients and methods: Fifty OSA patients with and 35 without CPAP treatment criteria were followed-up for 2 years. Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue (VAT and SAT) and preaortic intraabdominal fat (PIF) were assessed by sonography. Results: In the non CPAP treated group, SAT and VAT mean values didn’t change, while a significantly PIF growth was observed (55.19 [23.44] vs. 63.45 [23.94] mm, P = .021). In the CPAP treated group, VAT and PIF mean were not changed, while SAT decreased significantly (11.29 [5.69] vs. 10.47 [5.71] mm, P = .012). Conclusions: Long-term CPAP treatment produces intraabdominal fat redistribution and is associated with an anthropometric profile of lower cardiovascular risk in OSA patients (AU)

The STBUR questionnaire for identifying children at risk for sleep-disordered breathing and postoperative opioid-related adverse events.

BACKGROUND: Children with symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) appear to be at risk for perioperative respiratory events (PRAE). Furthermore, these children may be more sensitive to the respiratory-depressant effects of opioids compared with children without SDB. AIMS: The aim of this prospective observational study was to confirm that otherwise healthy children with symptoms of SDB are at greater risk for PRAE compared with children with no symptoms and to determine if these children are also at increased risk for postoperative opioid-related adverse events (ORAE). METHODS: Six hundred and seventy-eight parents of children scheduled for surgery completed the Snoring, Trouble Breathing, and Un-Refreshed (STBUR) questionnaire preoperatively. Data regarding the incidence of PRAE were collected prospectively. Postoperative pulse oximetry desaturation alarm events were downloaded from the institutional secondary alarm notification system. RESULTS: Children with symptoms of SDB per STBUR (≥3 symptoms) had a two-fold increased likelihood of PRAE compared with children without SDB (52.8% vs 27.9% respectively, LR(+) = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.60-2.49, P = 0.0001). A subset analysis of children undergoing airway procedures requiring hospital admittance (n = 179) showed that those with SDB were given the same postoperative opioid doses as children without SDB. However, children with SDB symptoms generated a greater number of postoperative oxygen desaturation alarms (14.14 ± 29.3 vs 7.12 ± 13.2, mean difference = 7.02, 95% CI = 0.39-13.64, P = 0.038) and more frequently required escalation of care (15.3% vs 7.1%, LR(+) = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.22-2.16, P = 0.001) compared with children with no SDB symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Children presenting for surgery with SDB symptoms are at increased risk for PRAE. Children undergoing airway-related procedures also appear to be at increased risk for ORAE. Furthermore, regardless of the preoperative assessment of risk using the STBUR questionnaire, children received the same doses of opioids postoperatively. Given the increased incidence of postoperative oxygen desaturations among children with SDB symptoms, it would seem prudent to consider titration of opioid doses according to identified risk.

Eficacia a medio y largo plazo de la ventilación no invasiva en el síndrome de hipoventilación-obesidad (estudio Pickwick) / Mid- and Long-Term Efficacy of Non-Invasive Ventilation in Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome: The Pickwick's Study

El proyecto Pickwick es un estudio prospectivo, aleatorizado, abierto y controlado con grupos en paralelo que intenta dar respuesta a los interrogantes del síndrome de hipoventilación-obesidad (SHO), una enfermedad creciente en los países desarrollados. Para ello, pacientes con SHO fueron divididos en pacientes con índice de apneas-hipoapneas (IAH) ≥30 y <30 mediante polisomnografía. El grupo con IAH≥30 se aleatorizó a tratamiento mediante estilo de vida saludable, ventilación no invasiva (VNI) o presión en la vía aérea positiva continua (CPAP). El grupo con IAH<30, a VNI o estilo de vida saludable. Su objetivo ha sido evaluar la eficacia del tratamiento con ventilación VNI, CPAP y estilo de vida saludable (control) a medio y largo plazo en el SHO, analizando como variable primaria la PaCO2 y los días de hospitalización, respectivamente, y como variables operativas el porcentaje de abandonos por razones médicas y mortalidad. Los objetivos secundarios a medio plazo fueron: 1) evaluar la eficacia clínica-funcional, en calidad de vida, en variables polisomnográficas y ecocardiográficas; 2) investigar la importancia de los episodios apneicos y de la leptina en la génesis de la hipoventilación alveolar diurna y el cambio con los diferentes tratamientos; 3) investigar si las alteraciones metabólicas, bioquímicas y disfunción endotelial vascular dependen de la presencia de apneas e hipoapneas, y 4) cambio de marcadores inflamatorios y de daño endotelial con los tratamientos. Los objetivos secundarios a largo plazo fueron: 1) evaluar la eficacia clínico-funcional y en calidad de vida con VNI y CPAP; 2) cambio de la leptina, marcadores inflamatorios y de daño endotelial con los tratamientos; 3) cambio de la hipertensión pulmonar y otras variables ecocardiográficas, así como en la hipertensión arterial e incidencia de episodios cardiovasculares, y 4) frecuencia de abandonos y mortalidad

The Pickwick project was a prospective, randomized and controlled study, which addressed the issue of obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), a growing problem in developed countries. OHS patients were divided according to apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 30 and < 30 determined by polysomnography. The group with AHI ≥ 30 was randomized to intervention with lifestyle changes, noninvasive ventilation (NIV) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP); the group with AHI < 30 received NIV or lifestyle changes. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of NIV treatment, CPAP and lifestyle changes (control) in the medium and long-term management of patients with OHS. The primary variables were PaCO2 and days of hospitalization, and operating variables were the percentage of dropouts for medical reasons and mortality. Secondary medium-term objectives were: (I) to evaluate clinical-functional effectiveness on quality of life, echocardiographic and polysomnographic variables; (II) to investigate the importance of apneic events and leptin in the pathogenesis of daytime alveolar hypoventilation and change according to the different treatments; (III) to investigate whether metabolic, biochemical and vascular endothelial dysfunction disorders depend on the presence of apneas and hypopneasm and (IV) changes in inflammatory markers and endothelial damage according to treatment. Secondary long-term objectives were to evaluate: (I) clinical and functional effectiveness and quality of life with NIV and CPAP; (II) changes in leptin, inflammatory markers and endothelial damage according to treatment; (III) changes in pulmonary hypertension and other echocardiographic variables, as well as blood pressure and incidence of cardiovascular events, and (IV) dropout rate and mortality

Passive Smoke Exposure and Its Effects on Cognition, Sleep, and Health Outcomes in Overweight and Obese Children.

BACKGROUND: Passive smoke exposure (PSE) may be a risk factor for childhood overweight and obesity and is associated with worse neurocognitive development, cognition, and sleep in children. The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of PSE on adiposity, cognition, and sleep in overweight and obese children using an objective measure of PSE. METHODS: Overweight or obese children (n = 222) aged 7-11 (9.4 ± 1.1 years; 58% black; 58% female; 85% obese) were recruited from schools near Augusta, Georgia, over the course of the school year from 2003-2006 for a clinical trial, with data analyzed in 2009-2010. Passive smoke exposure was measured with plasma cotinine. Health, cognitive, and sleep measures and parent report of smoke exposure were obtained. RESULTS: Overweight and obese children with PSE had greater overall and central adiposity than nonexposed overweight and obese children (p < 0.03). However, PSE was unrelated to prediabetes, insulin resistance, or visceral fat. PSE was linked to poorer cognitive scores (p < 0.04) independent of adiposity, but was not related to sleep-disordered breathing. CONCLUSIONS: PSE is associated with fatness and poorer cognition in children. Tailored interventions that target multiple health risk factors including nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco use in children and families are needed to prevent adverse health outcomes related to tobacco use and obesity.