#5883
CPAP MAY HELP MANAGE IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT
(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)
Body mass index (BMI) and apnea hypopnea index (AHI) show no relation to premature ventricular arrhythmias (PVC) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a new study. However the researchers, from Lutheran Medical Center and SUNY-Downstate Medical Center in New York, say that treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) decreases the incidence of both AHI and PVC. The significant decrease in PVC may be the result of decreased transmural pressure, say researchers.
#6021
FIRST-NIGHT COMFORT MAY DETERMINE FUTURE CPAP USE
(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)
How a patient with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) feels on their first night using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine may determine their future compliance, according to a new study from the Cleveland Clinic. Researchers administered behavioral questionnaires to patients prescribed CPAP, and determined compliance via a meter within the machine, which measured length of use. Results showed a positive correlation between CPAP compliance and patients’ level of comfort and ease on the first night of use. Researchers also found that patients who recently experienced the death of a loved one, were less likely to comply.
#5542
POOR BEDTIME BEHAVIORS MORE COMMON IN OSA
(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)
New research shows patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have worse bedtime behaviors than people who do not suffer from the condition. Researchers from MetroHealth Medical Center, in Ohio, administered behavioral questionnaires to more than 500 patients with and without OSA. They found that patients with OSA were more likely to exhibit poor sleep hygiene and less likely to sleep in a bed. Researchers suggest such alternative sleeping environments may impact sleep duration and overall health status.
#5687
FRAGMENTED SLEEP AFFECTS CHOLESTEROL
(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have released a new study, examining the relationship between sleep fragmentation and lipid profiles. Both normal and overweight individuals underwent three nights of testing, which included polysomnography and blood testing to determine total cholesterol and triglycerides. Results showed that moderate sleep fragmentation was associated with reduced cholesterol in the overweight participants only.
#6096
NIGHTSHIFT NURSES SLEEPIER THAN DAYSHIFT NURSES
(Wednesday, October 24, 11:30 AM EST)
A new study suggests that, despite the amount of sleep nightshift nurses receive, they are more likely to experience sleepiness, when compared with their dayshift counterparts. Researchers from Texas A & M University, Baylor College of Medicine, and the Torr Sleep Center, measured the amount of sleep received by day and nightshift nurses using actigraphy. The nurses also answered questions related to the effects of sleepiness. Results showed that although both groups of nurses received the same amount of sleep, the night-shift nurses were more likely to experience sleepiness.
#5841
SLEEP DEPRIVATION AND MEDICAL ERRORS
(Wednesday, October 24, 11:30 AM EST)
New research investigates the relationship between the sleep duration and memory capacity of medical residents, during different rotations. The study, from the Universities of Georgia and Minnesota and Regions Hospital in Minnesota, studied internal medicine interns and residents during one 4-week call-free rotation and one 4-week call rotation.
After analysis, researchers found that of those who participated in both sets, more errors were made during the on-call rotation. This included more math and accuracy errors, as well as greater sleepiness scores.
#5700
INSOMNIA IN PULMONARY FIBROSIS WORSE THAN IN ADDICTS
(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)
Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) commonly experience insomnia. But new research from the Medical University of South Carolina reveals how severe the insomnia experienced by these patients can be. After using the Insomnia Severity Index to survey patients in an IPF support group, researchers found that some patients experienced levels of insomnia which were more severe than that experienced due to pain or substance abuse.
#5509
FEMALE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION LINKED TO SLEEP APNEA
(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)
While sexual dysfunction in men with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is well described, it has not been previously reported in women. Researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine, in Texas, administered sexual function questionnaires to 21 pre-menopausal women with OSA, who were referred to the sleep lab. Researchers found a high prevalence of sexual dysfunction in the women, which was unrelated to body mass index or negative mood.
#5693
NECK SIZE IS BEST PREDICTOR OF SLEEP APNEA SEVERITY
(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)
A new study evaluates the roles of gender and body measurements in the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) requirements. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital, in Texas, took multiple body measurements from 144 men and women with OSA. They found that patients’ neck circumference, rather than their body mass index (BMI), was more predictive of OSA severity, especially in women. Both neck circumference and BMI correlated to CPAP requirements.