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Background: Sleep apnea is a widespread and yet still underdiagnosed condition. Various studies from the past have provided evidence that there is a link between sleep apnea and various cardiovascular diseases, including arrhythmias., Objective: The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the current study situation and to point out possible consequences relevant to everyday life., Material and Methods: A systematic search was carried out in various databases using the keywords sleep apnea (OSAS/SA) and arrhythmias/dysrhythmias., Results: There are several pathophysiological links between sleep-related breathing disorders and cardiac arrhythmias, the most important of which appear to be intrathoracic pressure, increased adrenergic tone as well as recurrent hypoxia and hypercapnia. This results in an increased occurrence of clinically relevant arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, symptomatic bradycardia, high-grade atrioventricular (AV) blocks as well as ventricular arrhythmias in patients with untreated sleep apnea. These pathologies also appear to be positively influenced by the treatment of sleep apnea., Conclusion: A close correlation between sleep apnea and cardiac arrhythmias is undisputed. Large randomized studies in this respect are so far rare but it is undisputed that a thorough search should be carried out for sleep apnea and consistently treated in patients with a history of cardiac disease as this can have a relevant influence on the treatment and ultimately the prognosis of the patient., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing disorders are a group of common conditions, from habitual snoring to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome, affecting a significant proportion of children. The present article summarizes the current knowledge on diagnosis and treatment of pediatric OSA focusing on therapeutic and surgical advancements in the field in recent years. Advancements in OSA such as biomarkers, improving continuous pressure therapy adherence, novel pharmacotherapies, and advanced surgeries are discussed., Competing Interests: Disclosure None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In children, asthma and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) may affect quality of life (QoL), and SDB may complicate asthma management., Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of SDB, its association with asthma control, and risk factors associated with SDB in a cohort of asthmatic children. The effects of asthma control and SDB on QoL were also investigated., Methods: We consecutively recruited asthmatic children referred to our Pulmonology Service from December 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023. Data on anthropometrics, respiratory function, and allergies were collected. The prevalence of SDB was assessed by the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ). Asthma control status was assessed by the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT), while QoL was evaluated by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) questionnaire. Factors associated with SDB were analyzed., Results: A total of 78 asthmatic children aged 5-12 years were included. SDB was found in 37.2% of them, with a higher prevalence in children with uncontrolled versus well-controlled asthma (60.1% vs. 27.3%; p-value = 0.005). The C-ACT score was significantly lower in SDB-positive versus SDB-negative group, and uncontrolled asthma (C-ACT ≤19) was associated with a 4.15-fold increased risk of SDB. The PedsQL score was significantly lower in asthmatic children with than without SDB and was associated with lower SDB risk. SDB increased the risk of uncontrolled asthma in children, and asthmatic children with SDB had lower QoL., Conclusion: In asthmatic children, SDB affects both asthma control and QoL. Children with uncontrolled asthma should be referred for polysomnography to identify a possible underlying SDB., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Aim: Prospective studies suggest that sleep-disordered breathing enhances the risk of diabetes. However, it remains unclear whether diabetes could worsen sleep-disordered breathing., Methods: The participants from Sleep Heart Health Study underwent two polysomnograms at a 5-year interval. The relationship of baseline diabetes to change in the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) was examined based on general linear models, adjusting for demographics, lifestyles, history of hypertension, pulmonary function, length of follow-up and baseline AHI., Results: In total, 161 of the 2603 participants were diagnosed with diabetes at the first polysomnograms. Compared with participants without diabetes, those with diabetes had a higher baseline and larger increases in follow-up AHI and obstructive apnoea index (oAI). Diabetes increased 2.52 events per hour (95% confidence interval 0.45-4.59; p = .017) for AHI change and 1.13 events per hour (95% confidence interval 0.04-2.23; p = .042) for oAI change, respectively. In addition, subgroup analysis suggested that the association was consistent across baseline obstructive sleep apnoea severity and body mass index groups., Conclusions: Baseline diabetes was associated with worsening sleep-disordered breathing over 5 years, which mainly increased the change in AHI and oAI., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Sleep bruxism (SB) is a repetitive rhythmic and nonrhythmic activity. It can be a comorbid condition for other disorders, such as sleep breathing disorders (SBD). However, a clear causal link between these factors is yet to be established. Moreover, this relationship is even more unknown in children. Thus, this systematic review aimed to determine the relationship between SB and SBD in children and teenagers and consolidate the current knowledge about the possible association between both phenomena at the pediatric age., Materials and Methods: Advanced searches were performed in five electronic databases with the last search updated on February 1, 2023. The methodological quality of the selected studies was analyzed using the quality assessment tool for experimental bruxism studies., Results: Twenty-nine of 6378 articles were selected for detailed analyses. Most articles found a comorbid relationship between SB and SBD, though no study analyzed a temporary relationship. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, a meta-analysis could not be performed., Conclusion: Despite the limitations of this systematic review, it can be concluded that there is an association between SB and SBD in children. However, the level of evidence is low., (© 2023 The Authors. Oral Diseases published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: A multitude of physical and mental challenges are being faced in the population with Co-morbid Insomnia and Sleep Apnea (COMISA). Unfortunately, research about clinical characteristics and management of COMISA based on quantitative evidence is lacking., Method: Standard procedures for literature retrieval, selection and quality assessment, data extraction, analysis, and interpretation were conducted step by step. For studying the sleep characteristics, common complications and widely recognized treatment options for COMISA, Weighted Mean Difference (WMD) and Odds Ratio (OR) were applied to assess the mean and risk differences between compared groups. Outcomes included sleep health parameters and secondary impairments in physical and mental well-being., Results: COMISA showed worse sleep quality than OSA only by PSQI (WMD = 3.38 point) and heavier sleep fragmentation (WMD = 11.46 min) than insomnia only. Besides, COMISA patients showed a higher risk for depression (OR [95%CI] = 5.03[2.31, 10.93]) and PTSD (OR [95%CI] = 3.96[1.85, 8.46]) in comparison with OSA alone. Compared to insomnia alone, COMISA patients suffered from more than two times higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and diabetes. In treating COMISA patients, combining CBTI with PAP treatment can enhance the improvement of insomnia severity (ISI, WMD [95%CI] =-3.26[-4.51, -2.00] point) and sleep efficiency (WMD [95%CI] = 6.39[1.97, 10.81] %) compared to PAP alone., Conclusions: Impaired sleep domains in COMISA cover sleep quality and sleep structure. Also, COMISA has a higher risk for cardiometabolic diseases and mental disorders. Combining CBTI with PAP can be a recommended treatment to relieve sleep impairments for COMISA.

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is frequent in patients with spinal-cord injury (SCI). However, SDB is frequently underdiagnosed due to limited access to diagnostic testing and knowledge about the condition. Moreover, SDB heterogeneity (sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea or central sleep apnea and nocturnal alveolar hypoventilation) implies complex evaluation of both nocturnal respiratory effort and hypercapnia. The aim of this study was to compare different screening strategies for an SDB diagnosis in patients with SCI., Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of data from subjects with SCI followed up in a tertiary-care rehabilitation center with a specialized sleep unit. Subjective (questionnaires) and objective data (polysomnography [PSG]), [Formula: see text] extracted from the PSG, morning blood gases, and nocturnal transcutaneous CO 2 (P tcCO 2 ) were collected and analyzed. A retrospective comparison of different strategies for SDB screening was carried out. Each strategy was compared (alone and in combination) with the standard of care for sleep apnea (PSG) and nocturnal alveolar hypoventilation (P tcCO 2 ) diagnosis. The performance of the usual cutoff and visual analysis was studied., Results: Among 190 subjects with SCI who underwent a full night's PSG, data were available for 104 questionnaires and 162 with oximetry. Nocturnal alveolar hypoventilation was screened by P tcCO 2 and blood gases in 52 subjects with SCI. Questionnaires (the modified Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Tetraplegia and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale) had poor performance for identifying sleep apnea and did not identify nocturnal alveolar hypoventilation. [Formula: see text] (oxygen desaturation index score ≥ 13) and visual analysis of [Formula: see text] were good at identifying sleep apnea but insufficient to identify nocturnal alveolar hypoventilation. Diurnal blood gases were poor predictors of nocturnal alveolar hypoventilation., Conclusions: Questionnaires were of limited use in subjects with SCI, but the oxygen desaturation index derived from oximetry performed well for sleep apnea screening. Both diurnal blood gases and oximetry visual analysis were insufficient for nocturnal alveolar hypoventilation screening. P tcCO 2 monitoring should be mandatory and ideally combined with PSG given the heterogeneity of SDB phenotypes and associated sleep comorbidities of patients with SCI., Competing Interests: The authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 by Daedalus Enterprises.)

Sleep apnea is an independent risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases. Its prevalence in stroke survivors is high and the disorder negatively affects patients' outcomes. Despite the importance of sleep apnea assessment is highlighted also in the current guidelines, a high proportion of patients remain undiagnosed and lose the potential benefit of positive airway pressure treatment. The current paper describes links between sleep apnea and stroke. It focuses on the challenges of the diagnostic and therapeutical process and provides a brief insight into ongoing trials that could help to identify appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, their timing, and the patient population for whom treatment could be most beneficial., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and nocturnal hypoxemia were known to be present in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), but the difference between SDB and nocturnal hypoxemia in patients who have chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease (CTEPD) with or without pulmonary hypertension (PH) at rest remains unknown., Methods: Patients who had CTEPH (n = 80) or CTEPD without PH (n = 40) and who had undergone sleep studies from July 2020 to October 2022 at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital were enrolled. Nocturnal mean SpO 2 (Mean SpO 2 ) <90% was defined as nocturnal hypoxemia, and the percentage of time with a saturation below 90% (T90%) exceeding 10% was used to evaluate the severity of nocturnal hypoxemia. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the difference and potential predictor of SDB or nocturnal hypoxemia between CTEPH and CTEPD without PH., Results: SDB was similarly prevalent in CTEPH and CTEPD without PH (P = 0.104), both characterised by obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Twenty-two patients with CTEPH were diagnosed with nocturnal hypoxemia, whereas only three were diagnosed with CTEPD without PH (P = 0.021). T90% was positively associated with mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance in patients with CTEPH and CTEPD without PH (P < 0.001); T90% was also negatively related to cardiac output in these patients. Single-breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity, sex and mPAP were all correlated with nocturnal hypoxemia in CTEPH and CTEPD without PH (all P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Nocturnal hypoxemia was worse in CTEPD with PH; T90%, but not SDB, was independently correlated with the hemodynamics in CTEPD with or without PH., (© 2024 The Authors. Internal Medicine Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Royal Australasian College of Physicians.)

Background: We determined whether the severity of sleep apnea increases the risk of mortality in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) with and without stridor. MethodsThis retrospective study included patients who underwent polysomnography within one year after diagnosis of probable MSA. Stridor, sleep apnea, and arousal from sleep were determined using full-night polysomnography. Disease severity was measured using the Unified MSA Rating Scale (UMSARS). Survival data were collected and analyzed using Cox regression analysis., Results: Sixty-four patients with MSA were included. During a median follow-up of 34.5 months, 49 (76.6 %) patients died. Stridor was present in 56.3 % of patients. Patients with stridor had more severe sleep apnea and shorter sleep time than those without, but the hazard ratio (HR) for death did not differ between patients with and without stridor. Among patients without stridor, apnea-hypopnea index ≥30/h (HR, 6.850; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.983-23.664; p = 0.002) and a score of UMSARS I + II (HR, 1.080; 95 % CI, 1.040-1.121; p < 0.001) were independently associated with death. In contrast, among patients with stridor, frequent arousals from sleep (HR, 0.254; 95 % CI, 0.089-0.729; p = 0.011) were a significant factor associated with longer survival, while MSA-cerebellar type tended to be associated with poor survival (HR, 2.195; 95 % CI, 0.941-5.120; p = 0.069)., Conclusion: The severity of sleep apnea might be a significant predictor of shorter survival in MSA patients without stridor, whereas frequent arousals from sleep might be a significant predictor for longer survival in MSA patients with stridor., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at increased risk of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). We investigated sleep spindle activity, as a marker of sleep quality, and its relationship with daytime functioning in children with DS compared to typically developing (TD) children., Methods: Children with DS and SDB (n = 44) and TD children matched for age, sex and SDB severity underwent overnight polysomnography. Fast or Slow sleep spindles were identified manually during N2/N3 sleep. Spindle activity was characterized as spindle number, density (number of spindles/h) and intensity (density × average duration) on central (C) and frontal (F) electrodes. Parents completed the Child Behavior Check List and OSA-18 questionnaires., Results: In children with DS, spindle activity was lower compared to TD children for F Slow and F Slow&Fast spindles combined (p < 0.001 for all). Furthermore, there were no correlations between spindle activity and CBCL subscales; however, spindle activity for C Fast and C Slow&Fast was negatively correlated with OSA-18 emotional symptoms and caregiver concerns and C Fast activity was also negatively correlated with daytime function and total problems., Conclusions: Reduced spindle activity in children with DS may underpin the increased sleep disruption and negative effects of SDB on quality of life and behavior., Impact: Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at increased risk of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), which is associated with sleep disruption affecting daytime functioning. Sleep spindles are a sensitive marker of sleep quality. We identified for the first time that children with DS had reduced sleep spindle activity compared to typically developing children matched for SDB severity. The reduced spindle activity likely underpins the more disrupted sleep and may be associated with reduced daytime functioning and quality of life and may also be an early biomarker for an increased risk of developing dementia later in life in children with DS., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Study Objectives: The objective of this study was to discern distinguishing characteristics of sleep-related breathing disorders in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (CSCI) compared with participants without CSCI. Additionally, the study investigated factors associated with sleep-related breathing disorder severity., Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of 123 individuals without CSCI, 40 tetraplegics, and 48 paraplegics who underwent attended or partially supervised full polysomnography for suspected sleep-related breathing disorders in a rehabilitation center. Polysomnographic, transcutaneous capnography, and clinical data were collected and compared between the groups., Results: Among tetraplegics, apnea-hypopnea index ≥ 30 events/h (67.5%, P = .003), central apnea (17.5%, P = .007), and higher oxygen desaturation index (80.0%, P = .01) prevailed. Sleep-related hypoventilation was present in 15.4% of tetraplegics and 15.8% of paraplegics, compared with 3.2% in participants without CSCI ( P = .05). In the group without CSCI and the paraplegic group, snoring and neck circumference were positively correlated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity. A positive correlation between waist circumference and OSA severity was identified in all groups, and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that loud snoring and waist circumference had the greatest impact on OSA severity., Conclusions: Severe OSA and central sleep apnea prevailed in tetraplegic participants. Sleep-related hypoventilation was more common in tetraplegics and paraplegics than in participants without CSCI. Loud snoring and waist circumference had an impact on OSA severity in all groups. We recommend the routine implementation of transcutaneous capnography in individuals with CSCI. We underscore the significance of conducting a comprehensive sleep assessment in the rehabilitation process for individuals with CSCI., Citation: Souza Bastos P, Amaral TLD, Yehia HC, Tavares A. Prevalences of sleep-related breathing disorders and severity factors in chronic spinal cord injury and abled-bodied individuals undergoing rehabilitation: a comparative study. J Clin Sleep Med . 2024;20(7):1119-1129., (© 2024 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.)

Rationale: Nocturnal hypoxemia is common in sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Although impaired diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (Dl CO ) is associated with daytime hypoxemia, its influence on SDB-related nocturnal hypoxemia is not known. Objectives: To characterize the effects of Dl CO impairment on SDB-related nocturnal hypoxemia and associated health outcomes. Methods: Data from a multicenter cohort of men with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, with concomitant measures of Dl CO and home-based polysomnography ( n  = 544), were analyzed. Multivariable quantile regression models characterized associations between Dl CO and several measures of SDB-related hypoxemia (e.g., total sleep time with oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry [Sp O 2 ] < 90% [T90]). Structural equation models were used to assess associations of impaired Dl CO and SDB-related hypoxemia measures with prevalent hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Results: Dl CO impairment (<80% predicted) was associated with sleep-related hypoxemia. Participants with severe SDB (apnea-hypopnea index ⩾ 30 events/h) and impaired Dl CO had higher T90 (median difference, 15.0% [95% confidence interval (CI), 10.3% to 19.7%]) and average SDB-related desaturation (median difference, 1.0 [95% CI, 0.5 to 1.5]) and lower nadir Sp O 2 (median difference, -8.2% [95% CI, -11.4% to -4.9%]) and average Sp O 2 during sleep (median difference, -1.1% [95% CI, -2.1% to -0.01%]) than those with severe SDB and preserved Dl CO . Higher T90 was associated with higher adjusted odds of prevalent hypertension (odds ratio, 1.39 [95% CI, 1.14 to 1.70]) and type 2 diabetes (odds ratio, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.07 to 1.46]). Conclusions: Dl CO impairment in severe SDB was associated with sleep-related hypoxemia, prevalent hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Assessment of SDB should be considered in those with impaired Dl CO to guide testing and risk stratification strategies.

The term "comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea" (COMISA) has been used to categorize the co-occurrence of the most prevalent and impacting sleep disorders. Meanwhile, both insomnia and sleep apnea have been shown to be associated with increased stress levels and cardiometabolic risk, a major cause of mortality. The better knowledge about such convergence would be critical for better understanding pathophysiological pathways and mechanisms. This article provides an overview of epidemiologic aspects, clinical findings, and mechanisms subsiding COMISA. Odontostomatological approach with mandibular advancement devices are discussed as an effective therapeutic approach in these patients., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Study Objectives: To determine the clinical impact of sleep apnea-related hypoxic burden in pregnant women and neonates., Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-Be (nuMoM2b) study. Hypoxia burden was calculated from the home sleep apnea test (HSAT) and defined as the total area under respiratory events. Logistic regression analysis assessed the relationship between hypoxia burden and pregnancy/neonatal outcomes., Results: A total of 3006 subjects in the early term, and 2326 subjects in the middle term of pregnancy, had HSAT. A hypoxic burden greater than 6.8%min was present in 1740 at early term and associated with a higher risk of preeclampsia (odds ratio 1.297, 95 % confidence interval 1.032-1.630, p: 0.026) after adjusted by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity. In the middle term, 1058 subjects had a hypoxia burden more than 11.8%min, which was a predictor for higher incidence of gestational diabetes (OR 1.795, 95 % CI 1.097-2.938, p: 0.020) and an Apgar <7 at 1 min (OR 1.446, 95 % CI 1.079-1.939, p: 0.012) after adjusted by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity. After adjusted by oxygenation disturbance index, HB was not related with Apgar <7 at 1 min (p:0.565)., Conclusions: The hypoxic burden is an independent predictor for preeclampsia and gestational diabetes and an Apgar <7 at 1 min., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Ms. Ni report no conflicts. Dr. Thomas is co-inventor and patent holder of the ECG-derived sleep spectrogram, which may be used to phenotype sleep quality and central/complex sleep apnea. The technology is licensed by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to MyCardio, LLC. He is also co-inventor and patent holder of the Positive Airway Pressure Gas Modulator, being developed for treatment of central/complex sleep apnea. He has consulted for Jazz Pharmaceuticals and consults for Guidepoint Global and GLG Councils. He is co-inventor of a licensed auto-CPAP software to DeVilbiss-Drive., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is often concomitant with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), which can cause adverse cardiovascular events. Although an appropriate approach to SDB prevents cardiac remodelling, detection of concomitant SDB in patients with HCM remains suboptimal. Thus, we aimed to develop a machine learning-based discriminant model for SDB in HCM., Methods: In the present multicentre study, we consecutively registered patients with HCM and performed nocturnal oximetry. The outcome was a high Oxygen Desaturation Index (ODI), defined as 3% ODI >10, which significantly correlated with the presence of moderate or severe SDB. We randomly divided the whole participants into a training set (80%) and a test set (20%). With data from the training set, we developed a random forest discriminant model for high ODI based on clinical parameters. We tested the ability of the discriminant model on the test set and compared it with a previous logistic regression model for distinguishing SDB in patients with HCM., Results: Among 369 patients with HCM, 228 (61.8%) had high ODI. In the test set, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the discriminant model was 0.86 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.94). The sensitivity was 0.91 (95% CI 0.79 to 0.98) and specificity was 0.68 (95% CI 0.48 to 0.84). When the test set was divided into low-probability and high-probability groups, the high-probability group had a higher prevalence of high ODI than the low-probability group (82.4% vs 17.4%, OR 20.9 (95% CI 5.3 to 105.8), Fisher's exact test p<0.001). The discriminant model significantly outperformed the previous logistic regression model (DeLong test p=0.03)., Conclusions: Our study serves as the first to develop a machine learning-based discriminant model for the concomitance of SDB in patients with HCM. The discriminant model may facilitate cost-effective screening tests and treatments for SDB in the population with HCM., Competing Interests: Competing interests: YM received an unrestricted research grant from the Division of Cardiology, Internal Medicine III, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Astellas Pharma, Ono Pharmaceutical Co, Daiichi-Sankyo Co, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co, Pfizer Japan, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co and Teijin Pharma. YM reports receipt of Scholarship funds or Donations Scholarship funds from Abbott Medical Japan and BIOTRONIK JAPAN., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Introduction: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a major comorbidity in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and is associated with a poor outcome. There is a lack of knowledge regarding the impact of SDB treatment on IPF. We assessed at one year: (1) the effect of CPAP and/or nocturnal oxygen therapy on IPF regarding lung function, blood mediators, and quality of life; (2) adherence to SDB treatment and SDB changes., Methodology: This is a prospective study of consecutive newly diagnosed IPF patients initiating anti-fibrotic treatment. Lung function, polysomnography, blood tests and quality of life questionnaires were performed at inclusion and after one year. Patients were classified as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), central sleep apnoea (CSA), and sleep-sustained hypoxemia (SSH). SDB therapy (CPAP and/or nocturnal oxygen therapy) was initiated if needed., Results: Fifty patients were enrolled (36% had OSA, 22% CSA, and 12% SSH). CPAP was started in 54% of patients and nocturnal oxygen therapy in 16%. At one-year, polysomnography found improved parameters, though 17% of patients had to add nocturnal oxygen therapy or CPAP, while 33% presented SDB onset at this second polysomnography. CPAP compliance at one year was 6.74 h/night (SD 0.74). After one year, matrix metalloproteinase-1 decreased in OSA and CSA (p = 0.029; p = 0.027), C-reactive protein in OSA (p = 0.045), and surfactant protein D in CSA group (p = 0.074). There was no significant change in lung function., Conclusions: Treatment of SBD with CPAP and NOT can be well tolerated with a high compliance. IPF patients may exhibit SDB progression and require periodic re-assessment. Further studies to evaluate the impact of SDB treatment on lung function and serological mediators are needed., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Diaphragmatic sleep disordered breathing (dSDB) has been recently identified as sleep dysfunction secondary to diaphragmatic weakness in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). However, scoring criteria for the identification of dSDB are missing.This study aimed to define and validate dSDB scoring criteria and to evaluate whether dSDB severity correlates with respiratory progression in DMD., Methods: Scoring criteria for diaphragmatic apnoea (dA) and hypopnoeas (dH) have been defined by the authors considering the pattern observed on cardiorespiratory polygraphy (CR) and the dSDB pathophysiology.10 sleep professionals (physiologists, consultants) blinded to each other were involved in a two-round Delphi survey to rate each item of the proposed dSDB criteria (Likert scale 1-5) and to recognise dSDB among other SDB. The scorers' accuracy was tested against the authors' panel.Finally, CR previously conducted in DMD in clinical setting were rescored and diaphragmatic Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index (dAHI) was derived. Pulmonary function (forced vital capacity per cent of predicted, FVC%pred), overnight oxygen saturation (SpO2) and transcutaneous carbon dioxide (tcCO2) were correlated with dAHI., Results: After the second round of Delphi, raters deemed each item of dA and dH criteria as relevant as 4 or 5. The agreement with the panel in recognising dSDB was 81%, kappa 0.71, sensitivity 77% and specificity 85%.32 CRs from DMD patients were reviewed. dSDB was previously scored as obstructive. The dAHI negatively correlated with FVC%pred (r=-0.4; p<0.05). The total number of dA correlated with mean overnight tcCO2 (r 0.4; p<0.05)., Conclusions: dSDB is a newly defined sleep disorder that correlates with DMD progression. A prospective study to evaluate dSDB as a respiratory measure for DMD in clinical and research settings is planned., Competing Interests: Competing interests: FT reports participation to Scientific Advisory boards for Roche UK and teaching initiatives for Biogen UK, Avexis UK, Roche UK and Italy, Breas UK. MD, DR, AAZ and FA report no disclosures. FM reports participation in Scientific Advisory boards and teaching initiatives for Biogen, Roche and Novartis. He is a member of the Rare Disease Scientific Advisory Board for Pfizer. He is involved as an investigator in clinical trials from Novartis, Biogen and Roche. In addition, he is the principal investigator of the SMA REACH UK clinical network, partially funded by Biogen., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Study Objective: Sleep apnea is associated with unexplained epilepsy in older adults in small studies. We sought to determine the relationship between sleep apnea and additional sleep characteristics and late-onset epilepsy (LOE), adjusting for comorbidities, using data from the large, prospective Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study cohort., Methods: We used Medicare claims to identify cases of LOE in ARIC participants. We used polysomnography data from 1309 ARIC participants who also participated in the Sleep Heart Health Study in 1995-1998, and demographic and comorbidity data from ARIC. Later risk of LOE was evaluated using survival analysis with a competing risk of death. We also used survival analysis in 2672 ARIC participants to identify the association between self-reported obstructive sleep apnea (2011-2013), and the risk of subsequent LOE., Results: Late-midlife oxygen desaturation to less than 80% during sleep was associated with subsequent development of LOE, adjusted subhazard ratio 3.28 (1.18-9.08), but the apnea-hypopnea index was not related. Participant report of diagnosis of sleep apnea in 2011-2013 was also associated with subsequent LOE, adjusted subhazard ratio 2.59 (1.24-5.39)., Conclusions: Sleep apnea and oxygen saturation nadir during sleep are associated with LOE, independently of hypertension and other comorbidities. These potentially modifiable risk factors could have large clinical implications for LOE., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Heart failure is strongly associated with obstructive and central sleep apnea. The landmark 2015 SERVE-HF trial showed that using adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) for central sleep apnea (CSA) management was associated with an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among heart failure patients with reduced ejection fractions. Based on the result, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the European Society of Cardiology have recommended against the use of ASV for the treatment of CSA in patients with heart failure with an ejection fraction≤45%. Recently, the results from the ADVENT-HF trial have been formally published, indicating that ASV does not increase adverse outcomes and can improve patients' quality of life. Here, we go over these findings in detail.

Managing non-cardiac comorbidities in heart failure (HF) requires a tailored approach that addresses each patient's specific conditions and needs. Regular communication and coordination among healthcare providers is crucial to providing the best possible care for these patients. Poorly controlled hypertension contributes to left ventricular remodeling and diastolic dysfunction, emphasizing the importance of optimal blood pressure control while avoiding adverse effects. Among HF patients with diabetes, SGLT2 inhibitors and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists have shown promise in reducing HF-related morbidity and mortality. Chronic kidney disease exacerbates HF and vice versa, forming the vicious cardiorenal syndrome, so disease-modifying therapies should be maintained in HF patients with comorbid CKD, even with transient changes in kidney function. Anemia in HF patients may be multifactorial, and there is growing evidence for the benefit of intravenous iron supplementation in HF patients with iron deficiency with or without anemia. Obesity, although a risk factor for HF, paradoxically offers a better prognosis once HF is established, though developing treatment strategies may improve symptoms and cardiac performance. In HF patients with stroke and atrial fibrillation, anticoagulation therapy is recommended. Among HF patients with sleep-disordered breathing, continuous positive airway pressure may improve sleep quality. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease often coexists with HF, and many patients can tolerate cardioselective beta-blockers. Cancer patients with comorbid HF require careful consideration of cardiotoxicity risks associated with cancer therapies. Depression is underdiagnosed in HF patients and significantly impacts prognosis. Cognitive impairment is prevalent in HF patients and impacts their self-care and overall quality of life.

Purpose: The relationships of sleep factors separately and jointly with metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and significant fibrosis remain unclear. We intended to explore the relationships in the United States., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 4477 individuals from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2017 to 2018. Information regarding each sleep factor (sleep duration, trouble sleeping, snoring, excessive daytime sleep, and sleep apnea symptoms) was obtained through questionnaires. MAFLD was diagnosed by transient elastography according to the consensus definitions. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to explore relationships of sleep factors separately and jointly with MAFLD and significant fibrosis., Results: Participants having a poor sleep pattern was associated with higher MAFLD and significant fibrosis risk, and poor sleep pattern was related to about threefold (OR, 3.67; 95% CI, 1.82-7.37) increased risk of MAFLD remarkably. When examining specific factors of sleep patterns individually, trouble sleeping (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.10-2.12), snoring (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.40-3.19), excessive daytime sleep (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 0.93-2.62), and sleep apnea symptoms (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.13-3.10) were positively associated with the odds of MAFLD (all P < 0.05). However, sleep duration was not independently correlated with MAFLD or significant fibrosis. Sleep patterns showed similar relationships with MAFLD, regardless of all age, sex, physical activity, and shift work groups., Conclusions: Poor sleep pattern was linked with a considerably higher risk of MAFLD and significant fibrosis., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are 2 of the most prevalent sleep disorders and frequently co-occur. Therapy can be challenging as treatment of 1 disease may worsen the other. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is the first-line treatment for insomnia and has been shown to improve compliance with positive airway pressure therapy. Other alternatives to OSA treatment may have higher acceptance in those with comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea (COMISA), such as mandibular advancement devices or emerging pharmacotherapies. Surgery, particularly hypoglossal nerve stimulation, appears to be well tolerated and may improve insomnia in those with COMISA. Otolaryngologists must be cognizant of the common presentation of COMISA in patients seeking surgical treatment and utilize a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of these complex patients., Competing Interests: Disclosure Kathleen Sarber has no conflicts of interest to disclose. Reena Dhanda Patil has no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Introduction: Severe sleep apnea (SA) affects one-third of stroke patients. Sleepiness, one of the cardinal symptoms of SA, negatively impacts functional stroke outcomes. The impact of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on post-stroke sleepiness is poorly described. We aimed to compare through a propensity score matching the trajectories of self-reported sleepiness post-stroke with matched individuals including SA patients adherent or not to CPAP., Patients and Methods: Sixty five (80.2%) ischemic stroke and 16 (19.8%) TIA patients (median [Q1;Q3] age = 67.0 [58.0;74.0] years, 70.4% male, body mass index [BMI] = 26.1 [24.5;29.8] kg·m -2 , admission NIHSS = 3.0 [1.0;5.0]), with polysomnography and an Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) performed within 1 year following stroke and with a follow-up ESS (delay = 236 [147;399] days) were included in the analysis. A 2:1 propensity score matching based on age, gender, BMI, and the apnea-hypopnea index was performed to identify 162 matched individuals referred for SA suspicion, free of stroke or TIA. Multivariable negative binomial regression models were performed to identify the determinants of sleepiness trajectories post-stroke., Results: Baseline ESS was comparable between stroke/TIA and matched individuals (median [Q1; Q3] ESS = 7 [4;10] versus 6 [4;10], p  = 0.86). The range of improvement in ESS was higher in stroke patients compared to controls (∆ESS = -2 [-4;1] vs -1 [-3;2], p  = 0.03). In multivariable analysis, comorbid SA and CPAP treatment did not influence trajectories of sleepiness post-stroke., Discussion and Conclusion: Sleepiness improvement was unexpectedly higher in stroke patients compared to matched individuals, with no significant influence of comorbid SA and CPAP on its trajectory. Sleepiness may not be primarily indicative of SA in stroke or TIA patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Sleep disorders are becoming increasingly common, and their distinct effects on physical and mental health require elaborate investigation. Gut dysbiosis (GD) has been reported in sleep-related disorders, but sleep apnoea is of particular significance because of its higher prevalence and chronicity. Cumulative evidence has suggested a link between sleep apnoea and GD. This review highlights the gut-brain communication axis that is mediated via commensal microbes and various microbiota-derived metabolites (e.g. short-chain fatty acids, lipopolysaccharide and trimethyl amine N-oxide), neurotransmitters (e.g. γ-aminobutyric acid, serotonin, glutamate and dopamine), immune cells and inflammatory mediators, as well as the vagus nerve and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This review also discusses the pathological role underpinning GD and altered gut bacterial populations in sleep apnoea and its related comorbid conditions, particularly cognitive dysfunction. In addition, the review examines the preclinical and clinical evidence, which suggests that prebiotics and probiotics may potentially be beneficial in sleep apnoea and its comorbidities through restoration of eubiosis or gut microbial homeostasis that regulates neural, metabolic and immune responses, as well as physiological barrier integrity via the gut-brain axis., (© 2023 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.)

In a variety of physiologic and pathologic states, people may experience both chronic sustained hypoxemia and intermittent hypoxemia ("combined" or "overlap" hypoxemia). In general, hypoxemia in such instances predicts a variety of maladaptive outcomes, including excess cardiovascular disease or mortality. However, hypoxemia may be one of the myriad phenotypic effects in such states, making it difficult to ascertain whether adverse outcomes are primarily driven by hypoxemia, and if so, whether these effects are due to intermittent versus sustained hypoxemia., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with ischemic stroke. There is, however, a lack of knowledge on the exact cause-effect relationship, and preclinical models of OSA for experimental ischemic stroke investigations are not well characterized. In this review, we discuss sleep apnea and its relationship with stroke risk factors. We consider how OSA may lead to ischemic stroke and how OSA-induced metabolic syndrome and hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA) dysfunction could serve as therapeutic targets to prevent ischemic stroke. Further, we examine the translational potential of established preclinical models of OSA. We conclude that metabolic syndrome and HPA dysfunction, which are often overlooked in the context of experimental stroke and OSA studies, are crucial for experimental consideration to improve the body of knowledge as well as the translational potential of investigative efforts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Sleep-related breathing disorder (SRBD) causes hypertension, and obesity has been highly associated with SRBD, which has become a serious health problem in young and middle-aged Japanese males. However, the relation between SRBD and hypertension considering the effects of obesity remains unknown. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the relationship between SRBD and hypertension, with consideration for the effects of obesity, in Japanese occupational population. Using 3% oxygen desaturation index (3%ODI) obtained by simplified polysomnography (PSG), participants were classified into low (0 ≤ 3%ODI < 5), medium (5 ≤ 3%ODI < 15), and high (15 ≤ 3%ODI) 3%ODI groups. We excluded employees who had not undergone medical examination with simplified PSG in the same year from 2012 to 2018. Logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios for having hypertension according to 3%ODI levels. In total, 2532 employees were included. Among them, 25% and 4% were categorized into the medium and high 3%ODI groups, respectively. The odds ratio for hypertension increased significantly with higher 3%ODI levels after adjustment for age, sex, alcohol drinking status and smoking status (p for trend < 0.0001). However, further adjustment for obesity status (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m 2 ) attenuated the associations. When we performed the stratified analysis by obesity status, the odds ratio for hypertension increased significantly with higher 3%ODI only for non-obese individuals, with significant interaction (p for interaction = 0.014). Higher 3%ODI was significantly associated with higher prevalence of hypertension especially in non-obese participants, suggesting the importance of vigilance for the presence of SRBD even in non-obese individuals. We investigated the association between SRBD and hypertension considering the effects of obesity, which would suggest the need to keep in mind the presence of SRBD even in non-obese individuals., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep-related breathing disorder. Its prevalence has increased due to increasing obesity and improved screening and diagnostic strategies. OSA overlaps with cardiopulmonary diseases to promote intermittent hypoxia and autonomic dysfunction. Intermittent hypoxia increases the risk for oxidative stress and inflammation, which promotes endothelial dysfunction and predisposes to atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular complications. OSA is associated with an increased sympathetic nervous system drive resulting in autonomic dysfunction leading to worsening of cardiopulmonary diseases. Cardiovascular diseases are observed in 40% to 80% of OSA patients. Therefore, it is essential to screen and treat cardiovascular diseases., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The limbic system is critical for memory function and degenerates early in the Alzheimer's disease continuum. Whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with alterations in the limbic white matter tracts remains understudied., Methods: Polysomnography, neurocognitive assessment, and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed in 126 individuals aged 55-86 years, including 70 cognitively unimpaired participants and 56 participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). OSA measures of interest were the apnea-hypopnea index and composite variables of sleep fragmentation and hypoxemia. Microstructural properties of the cingulum, fornix, and uncinate fasciculus were estimated using free water-corrected diffusion tensor imaging., Results: Higher levels of OSA-related hypoxemia were associated with higher left fornix diffusivities only in participants with MCI. Microstructure of the other white matter tracts was not associated with OSA measures. Higher left fornix diffusivities correlated with poorer episodic verbal memory., Discussion: OSA may contribute to fornix damage and memory dysfunction in MCI., Highlights: Sleep apnea-related hypoxemia was associated with altered fornix integrity in MCI. Altered fornix integrity correlated with poorer memory function. Sleep apnea may contribute to fornix damage and memory dysfunction in MCI., (© 2024 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

The presence of epicardial connections (ECs) between the pulmonary veins (PVs) and atrium may contribute to atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence. This study aimed to determine the impact of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) on the presence of ECs and the interplay between SDB and ECs on AF recurrence.We retrospectively reviewed 400 consecutive non-valvular AF patients. Among them, 235 patients exhibiting a 3% oxygen desaturation index (ODI) of ≥ 10 events/hour underwent polysomnography to evaluate the SDB severity, measured by the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). To facilitate the ablation of AF and ECs, a high-density mapping catheter (HDMC) was employed. AF recurrence was evaluated over a 12-month period post-AF ablation.The key findings included: 1) 63% of AF patients with ECs had SDB with an AHI ≥ 20 events/hour. 2) Despite achieving complete PV isolations and precise EC ablation using an HDMC, SDB presence was associated with an increased AF recurrence. 3) Continuous positive airway pressure therapy for SDB improved AF recurrence among the AF patients with both ECs and SDB (57% versus 73%; P = 0.016). 4) AHI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.91, ≥ 28.4 events/hour) and left atrial volume (LAV) (OR = 1.42, ≥ 128.3 mL) were independent predictors of the presence of ECs, and AHI (OR = 1.44, ≥ 27.8 events/hour) was an independent predictor of the presence of AF recurrence.It is essential for physicians to recognise the potential complexity of ECs and SDB in AF patients. Thus, screening and treating SDB in AF patients presenting with ECs might play a pivotal role in suppressing AF recurrence.

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), including obstructive and central sleep apnea, significantly exacerbates heart failure (HF) through adverse cardiovascular mechanisms. This review aims to synthesize existing literature to clarify the relationship between SDB and HF, focusing on the pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnostic challenges, and the effectiveness of treatment modalities like continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and adaptive servo-ventilation ASV. We analyzed peer-reviewed articles from 2003 to 2024 sourced from PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The prevalence of SDB in HF patients is high, often underdiagnosed, and underappreciated. Management strategies, including CPAP and ASV, have been shown to mitigate symptoms and improve cardiac function. However, despite the availability of effective treatments, significant challenges in screening and diagnosis persist, affecting patient management and outcomes. DB significantly impacts HF prognosis. Enhanced screening strategies and broader utilization of therapeutic interventions like CPAP and ASV are essential to improve the management and outcomes of HF patients with concomitant SDB. Future research should focus on refining diagnostic and treatment protocols to optimize care for HF patients with SDB.

Study Objective: Treatment of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy has unique clinical challenges in individuals living with spinal cord injuries and diseases (spinal cord injury [SCI]/D). Interventions focused on increasing PAP use have not been studied in this population. We aimed to evaluate the benefits of a program to increase PAP use among Veterans with SCI/D and SDB., Methods: Randomized controlled trial comparing a behavioral Intervention (n = 32) and educational control (n = 31), both including one face-to-face and five telephone sessions over 3 months. The intervention included education about SDB and PAP, goal setting, troubleshooting, and motivational enhancement. The control arm included non-directive sleep education only., Results: Primary outcomes were objective PAP use (nights ≥4 hours used within 90 days) and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI] at 3 months). These did not differ between intervention and control (main outcome timepoint; mean difference 3.5 [-9.0, 15.9] nights/week for PAP use; p = .578; -1.1 [-2.8, 0.6] points for PSQI; p = .219). Secondary outcomes included fatigue, depression, function, and quality of life. Only fatigue improved significantly more in the intervention versus the control group (p = .025). Across groups, more PAP use was associated with larger improvements in sleep quality, insomnia, sleepiness, fatigue, and depression at some time points., Conclusions: PAP use in Veterans with SCI/D and SDB is low, and a 3-month supportive/behavioral program did not show significant benefit compared to education alone. Overall, more PAP use was associated with improved symptoms suggesting more intensive support, such as in-home assistance, may be required to increase PAP use in these patients., Clinical Trials Information: Title: "Treatment of Sleep Disordered Breathing in Patients with SCI." Registration number: NCT02830074. Website: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02830074?cond=Sleep%20Apnea&term=badr&rank=5., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Sleep Research Society (SRS) 2024.)

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD). While the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, hypoxemia during OSA has been implicated in cognitive impairment. OSA during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is usually more severe than in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, but the relative effect of oxyhemoglobin desaturation during REM versus NREM sleep on memory is not completely characterized. Here, we examined the impact of OSA, as well as the moderating effects of AD risk factors, on verbal memory in a sample of middle-aged and older adults with heightened AD risk., Methods: Eighty-one adults (mean age:61.7 ± 6.0 years, 62% females, 32% apolipoprotein E ε4 allele (APOE4) carriers, and 70% with parental history of AD) underwent clinical polysomnography including assessment of OSA. OSA features were derived in total, NREM, and REM sleep. REM-NREM ratios of OSA features were also calculated. Verbal memory was assessed with the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Multiple regression models evaluated the relationships between OSA features and RAVLT scores while adjusting for sex, age, time between assessments, education years, body mass index (BMI), and APOE4 status or parental history of AD. The significant main effects of OSA features on RAVLT performance and the moderating effects of AD risk factors (i.e., sex, age, APOE4 status, and parental history of AD) were examined., Results: Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), respiratory disturbance index (RDI), and oxyhemoglobin desaturation index (ODI) during REM sleep were negatively associated with RAVLT total learning and long-delay recall. Further, greater REM-NREM ratios of AHI, RDI, and ODI (i.e., more events in REM than NREM) were related to worse total learning and recall. We found specifically that the negative association between REM ODI and total learning was driven by adults 60 + years old. In addition, the negative relationships between REM-NREM ODI ratio and total learning, and REM-NREM RDI ratio and long-delay recall were driven by APOE4 carriers., Conclusion: Greater OSA severity, particularly during REM sleep, negatively affects verbal memory, especially for people with greater AD risk. These findings underscore the potential importance of proactive screening and treatment of REM OSA even if overall AHI appears low., (© 2024. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Several lines of evidence suggest that cluster headache is related to chronobiology and sleep. Nevertheless, the nature of such a relationship is unclear. In this view, the objective evaluation of sleep in cluster headache has strong theoretical and clinical relevance. Here, we provide an in-depth narrative review of the literature on objective sleep assessment in cluster headache. We found that only a small number of studies (N = 12) focused on this topic. The key research aims were directed to assess: (a) the relationship between cluster headache and sleep breathing disorders; (b) the temporal relationship between sleep stages/events and cluster headache attacks; (c) sleep macrostructure in patients with cluster headache. No studies considered sleep microstructure. The reviewed studies are heterogeneous, conducted by a few research groups, and often characterised by relevant methodological flaws. Results are substantially inconclusive considering the main hypothesis. We outline several methodological points that should be considered for future research, and suggest that evaluating sleep microstructure, local sleep electrophysiology and actigraphic measures may strongly increase knowledge on the relationship between sleep and cluster headache., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Sleep Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Sleep Research Society.)

Objective: Patients with sleep apnea (SA) are at increased cardiovascular risk. However, little is known about the risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in patients with SA. Therefore, we studied the relation between SA patients who did and did not receive continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy with OHCA in the general population., Methods: Using nationwide databases, we conducted a nested case-control study with OHCA-cases of presumed cardiac causes and age/sex/OHCA-date matched non-OHCA-controls from the general population. Conditional logistic regression models with adjustments for well-known OHCA risk factors were performed to generate odds ratio (OR) of OHCA comparing patients with SA receiving and not receiving CPAP therapy with individuals without SA., Results: We identified 46,578 OHCA-cases and 232,890 matched non-OHCA-controls [mean: 71 years, 68.8% men]. Compared to subjects without SA, having SA without CPAP therapy was associated with increased odds of OHCA after controlling for relevant confounders (OR:1.20, 95%-Cl:1.06-1.36), while having SA with CPAP therapy was not associated with OHCA (OR:1.04, 95%-Cl:0.93-1.36). Regardless of CPAP therapy, age and sex did not significantly influence our findings. Our findings were confirmed in: (I) patients with neither ischemic heart disease nor heart failure (untreated SA, OR:1.24, 95%-CI:1.04-1.47; SA with CPAP, OR:1.08, 95%-CI:0.93-1.25); and (II) in patients without cardiovascular disease (untreated SA, OR:1.33, 95%-CI:1.07-1.65; SA with CPAP, OR:1.14, 95%-CI:0.94-1.39)., Conclusion: SA not treated with CPAP was associated with OHCA, while no increased risk of OHCA was found for SA patients treated with CPAP., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and is associated with both morbidity and mortality. OSA has also been linked to arrhythmias and sudden death., Objective: To assess whether OSA increases the risk of sudden death in the non-cardiac population., Methods: This is a systematic review of the literature. The descriptors "sudden death" and "sleep apnea" and "tachyarrhythmias" and "sleep apnea" were searched in the PubMed/Medline and SciELO databases., Results: Thirteen articles that addressed the relationship between OSA and the development of tachyarrhythmias and/or sudden death with prevalence data, electrocardiographic findings, and a relationship with other comorbidities were selected. The airway obstruction observed in OSA triggers several systemic repercussions, e.g., changes in intrathoracic pressure, intermittent hypoxia, activation of the sympathetic nervous system and chemoreceptors, and release of catecholamines. These mechanisms would be implicated in the appearance of arrhythmogenic factors, which could result in sudden death., Conclusion: There was a cause-effect relationship between OSA and cardiac arrhythmias. In view of the pathophysiology of OSA and its arrhythmogenic role, studies have shown a higher risk of sudden death in individuals who previously had heart disease. On the other hand, there is little evidence about the occurrence of sudden death in individuals with OSA and no heart disease, and OSA is not a risk factor for sudden death in this population., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: More than 50% of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) suffer from sleep disordered breathing (SDB). Obstructive respiratory events contribute to a transient, vagally mediated atrial arrhythmogenic substrate, which is resistant to most available antiarrhythmic drugs., Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of pharmacologic inhibition of the G-protein-gated acetylcholine-regulated potassium current (I K,ACh ) with and without acute autonomic nervous system activation by nicotine in a pig model for obstructive respiratory events., Methods: In 21 pigs, SDB was simulated by applying an intermittent negative upper airway pressure (INAP). AF inducibility and atrial effective refractory periods (aERPs) were determined before and during INAP by an S1S2 atrial pacing-protocol. Pigs were randomized into 3 groups-group 1: vehicle (n = 4); group 2: XAF-1407 (I K,ACh inhibitor) (n = 7); and group 3: nicotine followed by XAF-1407 (n = 10)., Results: In group 1, INAP shortened aERP (ΔaERP -42.6 ms; P = .004) and transiently increased AF inducibility from 0% to 31%. In group 2, XAF-1407 prolonged aERP by 25.2 ms (P = .005) during normal breathing and prevented INAP-induced aERP shortening (ΔaERP -3.6 ms; P = .3) and AF inducibility. In group 3, INAP transiently shortened aERP during nicotine perfusion (ΔaERP -33.6 ms; P = .004) and increased AF inducibility up to 61%, which both were prevented by XAF-1407., Conclusion: Simulated obstructive respiratory events transiently shorten aERP and increase AF inducibility, which can be prevented by the I K,ACh -inhibitor XAF-1407. XAF-1407 also prevents these arrhythmogenic changes induced by obstructive respiratory events during nicotine perfusion. Whether I K,ACh channels represent a target for SDB-related AF in humans warrants further study., (Copyright © 2024 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The effect of sleep apnea treatment on reducing cardiovascular disease risk remains inconclusive. This study aims to assess if the effective apnea hypopnea index (eAHI), a measure of residual sleep apnea burden post-treatment, is a factor in determining blood pressure (BP) response to continuous positive airway pressure therapy. The eAHI integrates time on therapy, residual apnea, and % of sleep time untreated., Methods: A secondary analysis of the Heart Biomarker Evaluation in Apnea Treatment (HeartBEAT) study, a randomized, controlled, parallel group assessment of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), oxygen and sleep hygiene. The Delta-AHI (▲AHI) was defined as the difference between baseline AHI and effective AHI at 12 weeks. Logistic and linear regression models estimated the predictors for nocturnal systolic BP change following sleep apnea therapy., Results: One hundred and sixty-nine subjects with a mean age of 62.82 ± 6.99 years were included in the final analysis. Fifty subjects had ▲AHI ≤8/hour of sleep and 119 subjects were higher. After adjustment, baseline mean nighttime systolic blood pressure (OR 1.036, 95% CI 1.015-1.058, p: 0.001) and ▲AHI ≥8/hour (OR 2.406, 95% CI 1.116-5.185, p:0.025) were independent predictors for mean nighttime systolic blood pressure change >3 mm Hg. The higher effective AHI was negatively related with BNP (β: -2.564, SE: 1.167, p: 0.029) and positively related with troponin change (β: 0.703, SE: 0.256, p: 0.007)., Conclusion: The ▲AHI was an independent predictor of the blood pressure response to sleep apnea treatment., Register Number: NCT01086800., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declare none., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Obstructive sleep apnea, a common form of sleep-disordered breathing, is characterized by intermittent cessations of breathing that reduce blood oxygen levels and contribute to the development of hypertension. Hypertension is a major complication of obstructive sleep apnea that elevates the risk of end-organ damage. Premenopausal women have a lower prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease than men and postmenopausal women, suggesting that sex hormones play a role in the pathophysiology of sleep apnea-related hypertension. The lack of protection in men and postmenopausal women implicates estrogen and progesterone as protective agents but testosterone as a permissive agent in sleep apnea-induced hypertension. A better understanding of how sex hormones contribute to the pathophysiology of sleep apnea-induced hypertension is important for future research and possible hormone-based interventions. The effect of sex on the pathophysiology of sleep apnea and associated intermittent hypoxia-induced hypertension is of important consideration in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease and its cardiovascular complications. This review summarizes our current understanding of the impact of sex hormones on blood pressure regulation in sleep apnea with a focus on sex differences.

Sleep irregularity and variability have been shown to be detrimental to cardiometabolic health. The present pilot study explored if higher day-to-day sleep irregularity and variability were associated with systemic inflammation, as assessed by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, in type 2 diabetes. Thirty-five patients with type 2 diabetes (mean age 54.3 years, 54.3% female) who were not shift-workers participated. The presence of diabetic retinopathy was determined. The standard deviation of sleep duration and sleep midpoint across all recorded nights were used to quantify sleep variability and regularity, respectively, assessed by 14-day actigraphy. The presence and severity of sleep apnea were assessed using an overnight home monitor. Low-density lipoprotein, haemoglobin A1C and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were collected. Multiple regression analysis using natural-log-transformed values was performed to establish an independent association between sleep variability and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Twenty-two (62.9%) patients had diabetic retinopathy. The median (interquartile range) of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was 2.4 (1.4, 4.6) mg L -1 . Higher sleep variability was significantly associated with higher high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (r = 0.342, p = 0.044), as was haemoglobin A1C (r = 0.431, p = 0.010) and low-density lipoprotein (r = 0.379, p = 0.025), but not sleep regularity, sleep apnea severity or diabetic retinopathy. Multiple regression analysis showed that higher sleep variability (B = 0.907, p = 0.038) and higher HbA1c (B = 1.519, p = 0.035), but not low-density lipoprotein, contributed to higher high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. In conclusion, higher sleep variability in patients with type 2 diabetes who were not shift-workers was independently associated with higher systemic inflammation, conferring increased cardiovascular risk. Whether sleep interventions to reduce sleep variability can reduce systemic inflammation and improve cardiometabolic health should be investigated., (© 2023 European Sleep Research Society.)

Purpose of Review: This review addresses the evolving intersection of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and heart failure, a topic of increasing clinical significance due to the high prevalence of SDB in heart failure patients and its impact on morbidity and mortality. It reflects recent advancements in diagnostic methodologies and therapeutic strategies. It emphasizes the need for heightened awareness among healthcare providers about the complex relationship between SDB and various forms of heart failure., Recent Findings: Recent studies underscore the high incidence of SDB in heart failure patients, varying with the cause of heart failure. Emerging diagnostic tools, including home sleep tests and advanced inpatient screening methods, have improved the early detection and accurate diagnosis of SDB. Novel treatment modalities, like hypoglossal and phrenic nerve stimulation, are promising, especially where conventional therapies are inadequate. The review also discusses the complexities of managing SDB in the context of different heart failure subtypes., Summary: Findings from recent literature suggest that improved screening, diagnosis, and innovative treatment of SDB in heart failure patients can reduce morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. This review emphasizes the need for personalized treatment approaches tailored to individual patient profiles, highlighting the potential of new technologies and multidisciplinary strategies in clinical practice., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)