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Die Schwangerschaft hat einen erheblichen Einfluss auf Atmungsregulation und Atemmechanik sowie auf die Schlafregulation: Durch seine Größenzunahme schränkt der Uterus zwar die maximale willkürliche Ventilation ein, das Schwangerschaftshormon Progesteron hingegen bewirkt eine kompensierende Bronchodilatation und eine markante Hyperventilation mit arteriellen PCOPregnancy has a significant influence on respiratory regulation and respiratory mechanics as well as on sleep regulation. Due to its increased size, the uterus restricts the maximum voluntary ventilation; the pregnancy hormone progresterone, on the other hand, causes compensatory bronchodilatation and marked hyperventilation with arterial PCO

The relation between patient and therapist has a substantial effect on the success of psychotherapy. So far, in German-speaking regions questionnaires translated from English have been used, particularly for studying outpatients. Studies investigating and concerned with specialised features of hospitalised forensic psychiatry patients are sparse. The preliminary results of this study evaluating a recently developed questionnaire aimed to investigate the quality of the therapeutic relationship in forensic psychiatry ("Fragebogen zur therapeutischen Beziehung in der Forensik, FTBF") are reported. The data were collected both in general and forensic psychiatry departments. Factor analyses yielded two essential factors, namely "positive emotional aspects" (12 items, main features trust, respect, helpfulness, harmony, and sympathy; Cronbach's α = .933) and "negative emotional aspects" (4 items, main features power divide and punishment; Cronbach's α = .805). Forensic patients experienced power divide and punishment tendencies more intensively than general psychiatry patients (p 0.001). Our questionnaire therefore demonstrates not only excellent reliabilities but also differential validity, enabling a differentiation between general and forensic psychiatry patients. Studies with larger samples would enable conclusions about the impact of the therapists' perspective, specific diagnostic subgroups and different psychotherapeutic orientations, on the patient-therapist relationship in forensic psychiatry.

In order to objectify the diagnostics of personality disorders, questionnaires and structured interviews are used. Nevertheless, due to different methodological approaches even those instruments arrive at different results very often. Therefore, this study aimed to check the convergent validity of two frequently used instruments - the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV Axis II Disorders (SCID-II) and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) - the first one representing the categorical and the latter one the dimensional approach for diagnosing personality disorders. The diagnostic concordances were statistically described with Cohen's Kappa, Yule's Y, and correlations. The results indicate that there are striking differences in diagnoses and that the SCID-II rather tends to diagnose a personality disorder earlier than the TCI.

Diagnosis and treatment of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) undergo substantial changes, both in terms of increasing scientific knowledge and also in terms of patient provision and socio-economic aspects. Increasing evidence shows the relevance of SDB on morbidity and mortality of affected patients. The precise differentiation of different phenotypes of SDBs has improved substantially in recent years. These proceedings influence the approach to the patients suspected of suffering from SDB. The scientific advances on the one hand are facing intentions to simplify diagnostical processes and treatment initiation and intentions to translate duties of physicians to non-medical personnel on the other hand. This consensus paper presents the principals of diagnosis, treatment initiation and provision, including the role of different participants of the healthcare system, and compares different treatment options. Major aspects include the differentiation of the diagnostical process in screening, affirmation of diagnosis and differential diagnosis. In addition, it focusses on the relevance of the pretest probability and describes a therapeutical algorithm.

The acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is a life-threatening clinical situation. This review summarizes the definition of AECOPD, the severity assessment, typical clinical signs and symptoms, and refers to clinical pitfalls of diagnosis and therapy. Important aspects of clinical history and physical examination in severe exacerbations are reported. The necessary accompanying examinations like chest X-ray, blood gas analysis, ECG and echocardiography and their differential diagnosis as well as therapeutic significance are described. The most important lab examinations are summarized and controversial parameters, e.g., procalcitonin, are commented upon. The differentiated need for a microbiological sputum screening is emphasized. The authors place special weight on the essential components of the therapeutic management of severe AECOPD. Practical aspects of uncontrolled oxygen therapy, drug selection, and application form of inhalative acute therapy, dose, and duration of glucocorticoids, the indication for antibiotics, mechanical ventilation, and also opiates are summarized.

In patients with COPD and isolated night time hypoxemia, oxygen administration has not shown any effects on life expectancy and the development of pulmonal arterial hypertension. The aim of the present pilot study was to investigate the influence of nocturnal oxygen therapy on the quality of life in daytime normoxemic COPD patients with nocturnal oxygen desaturations.19 patients with COPD, in a stable phase of the disease without need for oxygen supplementation under rest (PaO2 62.7 +/- 4.9 mmHg) and nocturnal hypoxemia (t90 = 55.5 +/- 33.4 % of registration time, mean SaO2 89.8 +/- 1.9 %, minimal SaO2 81.1 +/- 4.8 %) were randomly assigned to either oxygen or placebo treatment, both generated by identical concentrator devices. Each treatment period lasted 6 weeks, after six weeks a cross-over was performed by a technician. Quality of life was assessed before and at the end of each treatment period by the SF-36, Nottingham Health Profile and Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire.Significant differences for the comparison of placebo and verum were only seen for the dimension sleep (NHP), all other dimensions showed no differences between placebo and oxygen. However, both placebo and oxygen improved the majority of the quality of life items significantly.The prescription of supplemental oxygen in COPD patients with isolated nocturnal hypoxemia in the present pilot study is not able to improve the quality of life within 6 weeks after initiation of therapy. It cannot, therefore, be generally recommended, but may be indicated in patients with a documented improvement of sleep quality.

The prevalence of clinically relevant, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) in the general population is 2% in women and 4% in men. With increasing age and onset of postmenopausal status, the prevalence of OSAS in women becomes comparable to that of males. However, compared to prevalence data, women are under-represented in clinical sleep laboratories. The present overview deals with the potential reasons for clinical under-recognition of OSAS in women. The fact that OSAS frequency is underestimated in women probably derives from the atypical clinical symptoms, dominated by difficulties of initiating and maintaining sleep and by a depressive mood. There are several protecting mechanisms in women that prevent or postpone OSAS development to higher age groups or until the onset of menopause. These factors include craniofacial morphology and function, gender-specific body-fat distribution and hormonal influences on ventilation and dilating muscles in the oropharynx. Physicians should be aware of the presence of sleep-disordered breathing in women and of their special features.

Many patients with the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) look for alternative conservative or surgical therapies to avoid to be treated with continuous positive airway pressure. In view of the high prevalence and the relevant impairment of the patients lots of methods are offered which promise definitive cure or relevant improvement of OSAS. The working group "Apnea" in the German Society of Sleep Medicine and Research established a task force to evaluate the scientific literature on non-CPAP therapies in the treatment of OSAS according to the standards of evidence-based medicine. This paper summarizes the results of the task force. The data were unsatisfactorily for most of the methods. Sufficient data were available for intraoral appliances (IOA) and the maxillomandibular osteotomy (MMO). IOA's can reduce mild to moderate respiratory disturbances, MMO are efficient in the short and long term but are performed only in special situations such as craniofacial dysmorphias. Weight reduction and body positioning cannot be recommended as a single treatment of OSAS. Most surgical procedures still lack sufficient data according to the criteria of evidence based medicine. Resections of muscular tissue within the soft palate have to be strictly avoided. But even success following gentle soft palate procedures is difficult to predict and often decreases after years. Results in other anatomical regions seem to be more stable over time. Today combined surgeries in the sense of multi-level surgery concepts are of increasing interest in the secondary treatment after failure of nasal ventilation therapy although more data from prospective controlled studies are needed. There is no evidence for any other treatment options.

Patients with COPD present with impairments of their cognitive performance. The present study compares intelligence and memory performance as well as different aspects of attention in COPD patients and healthy controls. Additionally, potential factors influencing daytime performance are analyzed.Neuropsychological testing was performed in 32 patients with COPD and 10 normal controls. The following aspects were evaluated: memory, intelligence, simple, selective and divided attention, sustained attention under stress and under monotonous conditions.There were no differences between COPD patients and normals with regard to divided attention, vigilance and memory. Patients with COPD demonstrated significantly worse results in terms of intelligence (p0.01) as well as simple (p0.01), selective (p0.05) and sustained attention (p0.01). No correlation existed between the severity of the disease (lung function, blood gas analysis, nocturnal oxygen saturation) and neuropsychological findings. Merely a relationship between memory function and slow-wave sleep or REM sleep was demonstrated.Impairments of cognitive performance in patients with COPD cannot be predicted on the basis of the severity of the disease. Therefore neuropsychological testing is recommended, especially when impairment of daytime function has to be quantified.

The central interaction of intracranial and arterial chemoreceptors plays an important role for the generation of respiratory motor activity. Whereas the inspiratory inhibitory effect of lung stretch receptors is largely described, relatively little is known about their influence on expiration and on the pathomechanisms of obstructive airway disease.In anaesthetised cats, electrical activity of inspiratory and expiratory muscles (IM, EM) has been studied along with tidal volume and the position of breathing in eupnoea and increased respiratory drive before and after bilateral vagotomy. In order to mimic slowly adapting lung stretch receptor activity (SAR), the distal ends of vagal nerves (VN) were stimulated electrically using a frequency modulated signal derived from the respiratory alterations in oesophageal pressure.With intact VN, electrical stimulation of carotid sinus nerves or inhalation of 5 % CO (2) in O (2) resulted in an increased activation of IM in inspiration and activation of EM in expiration. Elimination of lung stretch receptor activity during quiet breathing resulted in prolongation and increase in IM activity without much effecting EM, since expiration is passive in eupnoeic breathing. After bilateral vagotomy, the electrical activity of the expiratory muscles was effectively reduced and the activity of the inspiratory muscles was largely enhanced. The effects of vagotomy could be completely reversed by electrical VN stimulation. Simulating an increased tidal volume by increasing the end inspiratory stimulation frequency to more than 100 Hz resulted in a decrease in IM activity and tidal volume. On mimicking an increased end expiratory lung inflation by end expiratory frequencies up to 50 Hz, expiration was prolonged and expiratory muscles activated. In consequence the position of breathing shifted to below the functional residual capacity (FRC).The results of these acute investigations show, that besides terminating inspiration, lung stretch receptors cause a facilitation of expiration during increased respiratory drive and expiratory airflow limitation by activation of expiratory muscles.

nCPAP-therapy is standard for patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). This study investigated, if nCPAP changed the patients lung function.Lung function of 228 OSAS patients without co-prevalent lung disease, who received nCPAP for the first time, was examined (whole body plethysmography, spirometry, and blood gas analysis). After 1, 2, and 3 years the results of the re-examined patients were compared with their individual starting results.The results of the patients in the basic and in the follow-up examinations was within standard range. During reexamination, an improvement of inspiratory vital capacity was registered repetitively, especially in smokers. On the other hand, MEF 50 decreased within the first two years and FEV (1) %VC, but not FEV (1), decreased after 2 and 3 years of reexamination.Neither obstructive nor restrictive lung diseases were diagnosed under nCPAP-therapy within three years. This study with a retrospective design showed significant improvements of vital capacity (VC) in patients with OSAS, especially in smokers, under nCPAP-therapy. This increase can be explained by an effect of practice in the examination and by recruitment of formerly hypoventilated lung areas. As MEF 50 and FEV (1) %VC depend on VC, the decrease of both parameters may be caused by the increase of VC. In summary, nCPAP did not cause negative effects of lung function in the investigated patients over a period of 3 years.

The underlying causes of acute severe or life threatening asthma are infections with respiratory viruses or Mycoplasma pneumoniae, rather than bacterial infections. In addition, exposure to various agents such as allergens, non-specific irritants or drugs, and inadequate long-term treatment may be responsible. High flow oxygen therapy, high dose topic beta(2)-agonists and systemic glucocorticosteroids should be used as baseline therapy in outpatients. In hospital, intravenous therapy-eventually including sedatives-can be administered under controlled or intensive care conditions. In patients with increasing respiratory pump weakness and alveolar hypoventilation, non-invasive and/or invasive mechanical ventilation may be required. In ventilated asthma patients permissive hypercarbia has been shown to reduce complications such as pneumothorax. Bronchoscopy and bronchial lavage are recommended for patients ventilated with increasing pressures or when atelectasis occurs.

Daytime sleepiness is a leading symptom of various diseases, and is an important cause of accidents at the workplace and on the road. For the evaluation of accident frequency, the medical history, neurophysiological and neuropsychological tests, and driving simulator performance are applied. The present paper describes these different methods, and assesses their value in predicting accidents. In the last resort, no single test suffices to evaluate the accident risk of patients suffering from daytime sleepiness--rather, a combination of the methods described is needed, in particular when an expert opinion on a patient's ability to drive is required. To date, no controlled studies have been done to compare the predictive value of the methods considered herein. Our results suggest that the nearness of driving simulation to reality makes it a suitable additional test method, in particular for the monitoring of results under treatment.

We present the case of a 51-year old man with drug-resistant pneumonia in the upper right lobe, weight loss and a 50-pack year history of cigarette smoking who underwent bronchoscopy. By clinical and radiological findings bronchogenic cancer was assumed. Fiberbronchoscopy showed an exophytic tumor-like mass obliterating the right upper lobe. Biopsies revealed an epithelial pseudopapillomatous tumor with multiple mucosal dysplasia and metaplasia. A second bronchoscopy in order to remove the lesion revealed a foreign body embedded in the tissue which could be removed easily. The foreign body proved to be a cherry stone, after its removal pneumonia resolved completely. In the same patient this lesion was recurrent one year later after aspiration of a grape seed. We present this case to emphasize the relationship between foreign body aspiration and inflammatory pseudopapilloma as a sequela of the inflammatory insult provoked by foreign bodies. Bronchoscopy is mandatory and may obviate misdiagnosis and thoracotomy. The use of inhaled and systemic steroids can be used to facilitate successful endoscopic extraction.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) have an accident rate between two and seven times higher than normals. Investigations on accident frequency are based on case history, insurancy reports, and driving simulator investigations. The present controlled study was planned to test whether an increased accident risk could be demonstrated in patients with OSAS before and on CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure)-therapy using the driving simulator C.A.R. Driving simulator performance was investigated in 31 patients with polysomnographically confirmed OSAS (apnea-hypopnea-index 24.8 +/- 21.5/h) before, 2 and 42 days after initiation of CPAP and was compared to 10 healthy controls in whom OSAS was excluded by polysomnography. Driving simulator performance was significantly worse in OSAS as compared to normals especially in terms of accident frequency (OSAS: 2.7 +/- 2.0, controls: 1.3 +/- 1.5, p0.05) and concentration faults (OSAS: 12.4 +/- 5.1, controls: 7.1 +/- 3.2, p0.01). On CPAP accident frequency (OSAS before therapy: 12.4 +/- 5.1, 2 days CPAP: 1.5 +/- 1.4, p0.01; 42 days CPAP: 0.9 +/- 1.3, p0.001) and frequency of concentration faults (OSAS before therapy: 12.4 +/- 5.1, 2 days CPAP: 6.5 +/- 3.9, p0.001; 42 days CPAP: 4.9 +/- 3.3, p0.001) could be lowered significantly both in the short and medium term of therapy. The driving simulator C.A.R. is an adequate tool for the evaluation of an increased accident risk in OSAS-patients and demonstrates the efficiency of CPAP-therapy.

Although production and processing of asbestos have been prohibited for years, the incidence of mesothelioma of the pleura will rise in Western Europe. The incidence of mesothelioma will peak between the years 2010 and 2020. It will cause an estimated 250,000 deaths within the next 35 years.The fact that exposure to asbestos fibers may result in mesothelioma was first described in 1960. The risk of developing mesothelioma depends mainly on the type of asbestos fibers and the way asbestos is manufactured. Environmental eronite fibers in Central Turkey are the cause of endemic mesothelioma. The pathogenetic role of infection with simian virus 40 is still not determined. Thoracic radiation is of minor importance in the etiology of pleural mesothelioma.Between first symptoms of disease and diagnosis of mesothelioma often more than 6 months pass as clinical symptoms are rarely typical. Detection of early stages by invasive procedures and imaging is often very difficult. Histopathological distinction between adenocarcinoma and mesothelioma requires experienced pathologists. This implies that management of mesothelioma should only be performed in multidisciplinary cooperation in specialized centers.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is frequently associated with cardiovascular disease. We investigated endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent nitric oxide-mediated vasodilatory function in normotensive patients with OSAS using the hand vein compliance technique.Dose-response curves to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator bradykinin were obtained in 23 male subjects with OSAS and 12 male control subjects of comparable age, height, and weight.Mean (+/- SD) maximum dilation (Emax) to bradykinin was significantly lower in OSAS patients than in controls (59.8 +/- 26.0 vs. 94.8 +/- 9.5%, p0.0001). Mean vasodilation with nitroglycerin was not diminished in the OSAS group (90.7 +/- 30.5 vs. 100.3 +/- 12.9% in controls; n.s.). In 11 OSAS patients, a follow-up investigation was performed after at least 2 months of treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP): Emax to bradykinin rose from 54.5 +/- 19.2% to 111.5 +/- 25.1% after treatment (p0.001). Mean vasodilation to nitroglycerin was unchanged.These results suggest that endothelium-dependent nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation is impaired in patients with OSAS due to an impaired function in the endothelial cells. This impairment is reversible with CPAP treatment.

Sleep related hypoxemia (SRH) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be easily detected by pulse-oximetry and may contribute to the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Since several parameters for the quantification of SRH are in use, we investigated which of these parameters has the strongest relation to the awake pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and is able to distinguish between patients without and with PH.44 COPD-patients (awake PaO2or = 60 mm Hg) were investigated. PAP at rest (PAP; pathological threshold20 mm Hg) and under physical exercise (PAPB; p.t.28 mm Hg) were determined during daytime by Swan-Ganz-catheter. To quantify the degree of SRH the following parameters of nocturnal pulse-oximetry were used: mean nocturnal oxygen saturation (SaO2 m; p.t.90%), nadir SaO2 (SaO2 min; p.t.85%), and mean time of SaO2or = 90% in relation to total time of registration (t90; p.t.30%). Linear correlations and regressions as Chi 2-respectively Fisher-test were used for statistical analysis (p0.05).Generally there was only a weak relation between PAP and SRH. The best linear correlation at rest respectively under physical exercise was found between PAP and SaO2 min (r = -0.529 resp. -0.541, p0.001). Using the above defined thresholds for PAP and SaO2 patients could be most precisely separated into those without and with PH using SaO2 min with a threshold for the pathological range of85% (p = 0.030 resp. 0.002). t90 with a threshold30%, however, had a much worse selectivity (p = 0.487 resp. 0.057).In COPD-patients with SRH the closest relation can be found between nadir SaO2 and PAP resp. PAPB. Furthermore nadir SaO2 (85%) could more precisely separate patients into those without and with pulmonary hypertension than t90. The overall weak relation between nocturnal oxygenation and pulmonary hypertension shows, however, that other factors such as daytime PaO2, hypercapnia or emphysema are involved in the development of pulmonary hypertension in COPD.

A 44-year old patient is presented with bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma which had set multiple metastases into the lung. Basic lung function was normal. It is of interest that only blood gases were borderline. There was a huge discrepancy between the extension of the pulmonary tumour and the impairment of lung function. Hence, blood gas analysis at rest and under exercise is a necessary tool in such cases.

In a 59-year-old patient presenting with fever, malaise and pulmonary masses the diagnosis of lymphomatoid granulomatosis was established histologically by open lung biopsy. Despite an immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide and prednisolone partial remission was achieved for no longer than 8 weeks. Five months later he died in a septic condition.In our paper we discuss the present case and give a short review of the literature. Lymphomatoid granulomatosis is a rare angiocentric and angiodestructive condition which shows characteristics of both a lympho-proliferative and a necrotizing aseptic granulomatous process. It involves most frequently lungs, central nervous system and skin. The clinical course is variable, but mortality is high. Malignant lymphoma is a frequent fatal complication. Immunologic dysfunction and EBV-associated B-cell transformation seem to play an important role in the pathogenesis of this disease.As optimal therapy is unknown, attempts have been made with immunosuppressive therapy according to the Fauci scheme as well as with combined chemotherapy according to the CHOP scheme and radiation. In a recent trial, promising results have been reported for interferon alpha 2b.

There are few data concerning the effect of acupuncture in patients suffering from COPD. We conducted a prospective randomized and placebo-controlled pilot study to analyze the effect of acupuncture according to the rules of traditional chinese medicine on quality of life, pulmonary function testing and inspiratory mouth occlusion pressures (MOP).We randomised 10 patients with stable COPD to a 2-week treatment of 7 verum acupuncture or placebo acupuncture sessions. Before and after treatment we performed pulmonary function tests as well as an interview with the chronic respiratory disease questionnaire. MOP were taken on day 1, 5 and 7 before and after punction to assess function of the respiratory pump.Patients receiving verum acupuncture improved significantly with FEV1 and RV/TLC. There was an improvement of large magnitude in quality of life and a trend of lower demand of the respiratory pump. In the placebo group we saw only a slight improvement of quality of life, a deterioration of lung function parameters and a trend of higher demand of the respiratory pump.Although the small number of subjects allows no further conclusions this pilot study proves feasibility of acupuncture in COPD and shows that acupuncture is worthy for further investigation in patients suffering from COPD.

The indication for intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) is the symptomatic hypercapnic ventilatory insufficiency. Beside the improvement of life quality and extension of life time the aim of IPPV is a reduction of the secondary effects of chronic hypoventilation in order to stabilize the symptoms.We examined 2 patients after sternectomy because of osteomyelitis who developed a symptomatic ventilatory insufficiency together with recurrent dys- and atelectasis and pneumonia, resistant against to antibiotic treatment. After initiation of IPPV the patients turned to a clinically stable condition. The nocturnal oxygen saturation improved as well as the daytime blood gas analysis. In these patients the indication for IPPV was not only the symptomatic hypercapnic ventilatory insufficiency but also the prophylaxis of recurrent dys- and atelectasis and pneumonia. Antibiotic therapy after sternectomy is often not successful, therefore in case of recurrent infections in patients with unstable thorax the early initiation of IPPV seems to be useful.

In seven pneumological centres 266 patients with different pneumological diseases were investigated. After having clarified several questions regarding the severity of the dyspnoea, cough intensity and the volume of sputum, as well as basic clinical investigation and after an x-ray of the thorax, the diagnosis was arrived at. Subsequently the lung function investigation with the flow-volume curve (including IVC, FVC, PEF, FEV1, MEF50%) and the body plethysmographic Rt and IGV were carried out. Different quality control procedures at and between the different centres ensured comparable results. All centres agreed to using methods well compatible with each other. The question as to which kind of parameters of lung function would agree best with the amount of the dyspnoea, was resolved. The causes for the large scatter of the results are described. Cough and sputum exercise an influence even on the degree of dyspnoea, but not by deteriorating the lung function. The results are shown for the entire collective (Part I) in respect of the different diagnoses (Part II). With different diagnosis the same significant correlations exist but the curves are positioned at different levels of the coordinate system.Significant correlations exist between the dyspnoea scale and function parameters. There are individual differences between the dyspnoea scale and disturbances of the function parameters. Carefully performed lung function analyse definitely important in any case.

The effect of inhaled long-acting beta 2-agonists on obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is unknown, though from the pharmacological point of view both therapeutic and adverse effects might be discussed. The purpose of this study was to obtain data on the efficacy and safety of Salmeterol in patients with OSAS. In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study effects of Salmeterol were investigated in 20 patients with OSAS: 4 female, 16 male; age 53.0 +/- 7.8 years, body mass index (BMI) 28.0 +/- 3.0 kg.m-2; apnoea hypopnoea index (AHI) 35.6 +/- 17.8 h-1. Patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and left heart failure were excluded. Placebo or verum (50 micrograms Salmeterol) were administered at 7 p.m. by metered dose inhaler and spacer device. All patients underwent full polysomnography during baseline, placebo, and verum night. Statistical analysis was performed by Student's t-test (p0.05). Between placebo and verum there were no differences in total sleep time, sleep stages, apnoea index (AI), AHI, and nadir SaO2. There was, however, a significant deterioration of mean SaO2 (placebo 93.1 +/- 2.0 vs Salmeterol 92.5 +/- 2.2%) and of relative time spent with SaO2or = 90% (placebo 13.1 +/- 14.5 vs Salmeterol 19.5 +/- 20.8%), as well as a significant increase in heart rate (placebo 63.1 +/- 9.2 vs Salmeterol 65.6 +/- 9.3 h-1). Thus, in patients with OSAS Salmeterol had no adverse effect on quality of sleep, AI or AHI. The slight increase in heart rate and the deterioration of oxygen saturation are clinically irrelevant. The latter might be due to ventilation-perfusion-mismatch. This study demonstrates that Salmeterol has no influence on obstructive sleep apnoea and hypopnoea, but on the other hand provides an acceptable safety profile in OSAS. This might be of special importance in patients suffering from both OSAS and obstructive airway disease.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) commonly complain about daytime sleepiness and a decline of cognitive functions. Several diagnostic tools have been established to judge objectively vigilance and cognitive impairment. Forty OSAS patients aged between 34 and 74 years were examined via several neuropsychological tests (e.g. vigilance test of the Wiener Testsystem, number connection test ("Zahlenverbindungstest-ZVT") to assess working velocity and information processing, d2-test to rate concentration on exertion) before starting continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. In addition, visual evoked event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded; the P3-component was evaluated. All patients subjectively stated daytime sleepiness and cognitive dysfunctions to variable degrees. Each patient showed at least one pathological result in the neuropsychological tests; vigilance impairment could be revealed only in 7 patients. P3-latencies were increased in OSAS patients when compared to age-matched controls (408.1 +/- 44.4 ms versus 373.4 +/- 32.5 ms; p0.03). P3-latencies and concentration on exertion showed a significant correlation with respect to the relative part of the total sleep time in which the patient's oxygen saturation was below 90% (p0.05). Thus it could be demonstrated that cognitive deficits in OSAS patients are a result of chronic intermittent oxyhaemoglobin desaturation rather than of a decline in daytime vigilance. ERPs represent an objective neurophysiological tool in neuropsychological examination. As they are also generated in subcortical cerebral structures they may indicate cognitive dysfunctions which cannot be evaluated by neuropsychological tests. If lead of ERPs is possible in special sleep centres they should be additionally used in the assessment of cognitive functions in OSAS patients.

A skin prick test was performed in 75 patients with an obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) to test allergic skin reactivity to 18 common inhalant allergens. Additionally, anterior rhinomanometry was performed. Results were compared with a group of 21 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and with 198 workers of the chemical industry. A positive (or = 4 mm wheal diameter) skin test to at least one allergene was present in 49 per cent of the OSAS patients, compared to 14 per cent in COPD patients and 28 per cent in industrial workers (p0.05; chi 2-test)-33 per cent (n = 25) of the OSAS patients with a sleep apnea syndrome showed skin reactivity to house dust mite (D. ph., D. f.) compared to 9.5 per cent in COPD patients and 12.6 per cent in industrial workers (p0.05 chi 2-test). No difference was found between anthropometric, polysomnographic, or rhinomanometric data comparing OSAS patients with positive skin reactions against house dust mites (n = 25) and those without any allergic skin reactivity (n = 38).

This study was conducted to investigate the clinical value of blood gas analysis during exercise in patients with COPD and healthy controls using the new criteria of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pneumologie (DGP) for performance and interpretation of blood gas analysis during exercise. A total of 64 patients with COPD (age: 63.7 +/- 10.1 years) and 35 healthy controls (age: 35.0 +/- 14.3 years) exercised on a bicycle ergometer to their submaximal capacity under steady state conditions (patients: 44.4 +/- 24.6 watt vs. 102.4 +/- 32.1 watt; p0.01). A pathological response for PaO2 occurred in 3 of 35 controls (8.6%) and 14 of 64 patients (21.9%; p0.01). A decrease in PaO2 yielded a sensitivity of 28% and a specificity of 92% in respect of patients with emphysema. Significant associations of lung function parameters at rest and blood gases under exercise were found by linear regression analysis (airway resistance (Rt): beta = -0.48; p0.001) and PaCO2 (FEV1: beta = -0.27; p0.05). This study demonstrates that in patients with COPD parameters of lung function and blood gas analysis at rest are already good predictors of gas exchange under exercise conditions. In individual cases, however, prediction may not be possible. This underlines the importance of the exercise test to investigate gas exchange under diagnostic (i.e. dyspnoea, medical opinion) and therapeutic aspects (i.e. therapy control). For COPD patients, the rule of the DGP yielded a poor sensitivity, but an excellent specificity in the diagnosis of emphysema, which yields confirmation of the diagnosis only in conjunction with, and complementary to, other methods.

The measurement of mouth occlusion pressure is an easy method to assess respiratory drive and muscle function. In addition to a variety of stationary systems, recently a mobile computer assisted system became available. In this study the repeatability of inspiratory mouth occlusion pressures with such a mobile system was examined.Maximal inspiratory mouth occlusion pressure (PImax), mouth occlusion pressure 100 ms after onset of normal inspiration (P0,1), and PImax after 100 ms (P0,1max) were investigated 4 times in 12 healthy subjects. Measurements were performed with a mobile system (resPImax). Criteria of repeatability were analysis of variance, intraindividual standard deviation, variation coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient.Of all analyzed parameters PImax was most reproducible with a 5.3% share of variance due to measurement methods of the total variance. P0,1 was least reproducible. There was no statistically significant difference between the results of each day. The variance due to measurement methods varied between 5.3% and 30%.The repeatability of mouth occlusion pressures with this mobile device was good and partly superior to stationary systems. The concept of a mobile measuring unit simplifies getting results of bed-bound and mechanically ventilated patients.

The prevalence of the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is about 5% in the entire population. The amount of treatment-indications grows for this particular sleep-related breathing disorder due to the increasing usage of diagnostic screening tests. In most cases, the positive-pressure ventilation, PPV (nCPAP, nBiPAP) is considered as a highly effective form of treatment, in comparison to other treating methods. The residential polysomnographic supervised adjustment of the treatment is optimally applied to most of the patients. Due to the increasing number of the treated patients, the reports about the appearance of short-termed side effects during the adjustment of the PPV become more frequent.We report on 9 patients who showed complications during the initial stage of treatment. The most common one, during the nCPAP-therapy, was the increase of central apneas. Because of this complication, a rapid optimization of the respiratory pressure or a change to a nBiPAP-therapy was necessary in 5 of the patients. 2 of the patients showed cardiac arrhythmias, some of which were severe. One patient produced a remarkable central hypoventilation during the initial phase of a nCPAP-therapy. The nBiPAP-titration combined with right-heart-catheter monitoring could demonstrate in another patient a possible cardiac decompensation through an increased ventilatory pressure.The risk of a positive-pressure ventilation is higher in patients with accompanying cardiac, pulmonary, neuropsychiatric and/or otorhinolaryngologic disorders. Considering the various predisposing factors of the patients we suggest an intensive apparative monitoring as well as stuff-supervision during the introduction to a respiratory treatment. If complications appear, a rapid improvement of the ventilatory pressure or a change to another respiratory treatment is indicated.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) present upper airway obstruction during sleep which can be documented by electromyography. The cause of weakness in oropharyngeal muscles is still unknown. Lesions of pons and medulla oblongata have to be expected. Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) may indicate pathological changes in these regions. Several studies described normal BAEP in OSAS-patients. Moderate forms of OSAS as well as central sleep apnea syndromes were investigated, however. In our study 20 patients (17 men, 3 women, mean age 53.9 +/- 2.1 ys) with severe OSAS (apnea/hypopnea-index: 34.2 +/- 14.1/h, part of O2-saturationor = 90% during sleep (SaO2or = 90%): 13.5 +/- 4.2%, minimal nocturnal O2-saturation: 78.0 +/- 2.5%) before starting nCPAP-therapy were investigated. BAEP were elicited after applying clicks 70 dB above threshold to each ear. Means of single wave latencies as well as interpeak latencies (I-V, I-III, III-V) were delayed significantly compared to normal controls. Main prolongations were seen regarding wave latency I (por = 0.001) and-interpeak latency I-V (por = 0.001). Prolongation of interpeak latencies (mean +/- 2.5 SD) of one or two sides could be demonstrated in 12 out of 20 patients. Pontomesencephal lesions (9 patients) dominated. There was no connection with respiratory parameters. As against pathological BAEP changes correlated with the duration of the disease. In conclusion pathological BAEP indicating brainstem lesions were seen in 60% of the examined OSAS-patients. Mesencephal lesions dominated, number of lesions increased with duration of disease. Therefore pathological findings have not to be considered as cause but as a result of hypoxemia in OSAS. Pathological BAEP may reveal a higher risk for cerebrovascular stroke. Therefore these patients should be leaded to further cerebrovascular investigation.

The measurement of mouth occlusion pressure is an easy method to assess respiratory drive and muscle function. Lately there is a variety of computer assisted programmes, but their precision is discussed controversially. In this study we analysed the repeatability of measurements of mouth occlusion pressures performed by a computer assisted measurement unit.We examined maximal inspiratory mouth occlusion pressure (PI(max)), mouth occlusion pressure 100 ms after onset of inspiration (PO.1) and PI(max) after 100 ms (PO.1(max)) of 32 patients with COPD. Subjects were divided into group A (normal blood gas pressures) and group B (hypercapnia due to alveolar hypoventilation). Controls (K) consisted of 22 healthy men. Criteria for repeatability were analysis of variance, intraindividual standard deviation of the mean and the variation coefficient of 5 consecutive measurements.Controls produced the highest values for PI(max) and the lowest ones for PO, 1. Intraindividual standard deviation was small as well as the variation coefficient; we found no statistically significant differences. Compared with controls in group A PI(max) values were markedly reduced with elevated PO.1 values. Intraindividual standard deviation and variation coefficient were low, differences not significant. We observed similar results for group B, variance analysis showed no significant differences, deviation around the mean was small.Our data suggest a high repeatability of measurements of mouth occlusion pressures. Especially patients with severe COPD and alveolar hyperventilation are able to produce valid and reliable test results.

Data concerning the occurrence of chronic-obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) vary between 11 and 20% due to the underlying definition of COPD. We investigated the frequency of COPD in 202 patients with OSAS. The obstructive pattern was defined by bodyplethysmography (Rt0.35 kPa x 1(-1) x s(-1)), flow-volume-curve (MEF5050% pred.), Tiffeneau-index (FEV1/IVC70% pred.) and anamnesis (cough and/or sputum). Prevalence of COPD in our 202 patients with OSAS was 16.3%. Patients with OSAS and COPD had a higher body-mass-index (BMI), lower PaO2 and spent more time in an oxygen saturationor = 90% in relation to total recording time (t90). Polysomnographically there was no difference between the two groups with regard to the ventilatory parameters apnea-index (AI) and apnea-hypopnea-index (AHI). As there is a high risk of developing hypercapnia, pulmonary arterial hypertension and cor pulmonale in patients with OSAS and COPD there is need for early diagnosis of the combination of both diseases.

Nocturnal hypoxemia in daytime normoxemic patients with COPD may lead to an increased right ventricular afterload due to pulmonary hypertension. We investigated the frequency of clinical, electrocardiographical, and radiological signs of right cardiac insufficiency (SRCI) in 178 consecutive COPD-patients [71 bronchitis, 25 emphysema, 82 bronchitis plus emphysema; PaO2 = 60 mm Hg]. Patients with asthma, left ventricular impairment, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, primary pulmonary hypertension, and neuromuscular diseases were excluded. Polysomnography was performed in all patients. They were divided into 3 groups concerning SRCI: missing, doubtful, and secure SRCI. Parameters of nocturnal pulse oximetry were analyzed within the three groups (Student's t-Test. Chi2-Test. p0.05). 25.8% of the patients had secure SRCI without a significant frequency difference between patients with bronchitis and/or emphysema. Patients with secure SRCI had a significant lower mean nocturnal SaO2 than those with missing SRCI (92.7 +/- 2.5 vs. 90.3 +/- 3.5%). With regard to the high prevalence of SRCI in association with nocturnal hypoxemia routine control of nocturnal oxygenation is recommended in daytime normoxemic COPD-patients for the early decision for nocturnal oxygen therapy.

Although the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is about 4% in men and 2% in women, women are underrepresented in clinical routine. The aim of this study was to determine whether differences in clinical features of OSAS may in part explain the bias observed. 224 men and 24 women with polysomnographically confirmed OSAS filled in a symptom-focussed multiple-choice questionnaire. Polysomnographical results were comparable in both groups. With regard to snoring, daytime sleepiness and tendency of falling asleep there were no differences between both groups. Women more frequently complained about difficulties of initiating and maintaining sleep and about apneas. Further investigations have to concentrate on the pathomechanisms of OSAS in women which may in part explain the gender differences in sleep apnea associated symptoms.

The therapeutic effect in application of n-CPAP therapy (nasal continuous positive airway pressure) is dependent on both the acute effect of this therapy and the long-term acceptance and consequent palliation respectively avoidance of sequelae. We present 50 patients (47 male, 3 female) treated with n-CPAP therapy because of severe sleep-related disorders of breathing. All patients had polysomnography, and in addition questionnaires were mailed to all 50 patients in order to get information concerning the symptoms of sleep-related disorders of breathing before and under n-CPAP therapy, mode of therapy and side-effects in application of n-CPAP therapy. Patients were treated for at least three to a maximum of 25 months with n-CPAP (average 10.5 months). Long-term acceptance with n-CPAP was defined as persistent use of n-CPAP during every night for at least five hours. On average continuous positive airway pressure of 8.6 mbar (range 4-18) was effective in normalizing formerly severe pathological respiratory parameters. Apnea-index decreased from 22.8 to 2.17/h on average. Regarding the symptoms of sleep-related disorders of breathing before and under n-CPAP therapy, we saw that almost 100% of our patients complained of the main symptoms of sleep-related disorders of breathing. By regular n-CPAP application a complete reduction of these symptoms could be achieved in nearly 80% of patients. Long-term acceptance of n-CPAP therapy was reported by 78% of our patients who used their n-CPAP device every night for at least five hours.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

As there is a great demand for polysomnography, screening tests had to be established in the diagnosis of sleep-related disordered breathing. Oxygen saturation is often used as a main diagnostic criterion of these screening tests. In 207 patients (42 women, 165 men) suspected to suffer from a sleep apnea-syndrome we compared oxygen saturation (pulse oxymetry) with apnea-hypopnea-index (AHI, polysomnography). An AHIor = 5/h and a minimal oxygen saturation90% and/or more than 5 oxygen desaturations/hor = 4% were regarded as pathological. We found a good correlation of significant oxygen desaturations measured with pulse oxymetry and AHI (r = 0.85). Compared to AHI, pulse oxymetry was seen as a sensitive method (sensitivity 0.97) to recognize sleep apnea-patients. Coincidence of COPD decreased specificity of pulse oxymetry from 0.48 to 0.23 but had no influence on its sensitivity. 13 percent of the patients without further cardiorespiratory disease had a normal AHI (5/h) but a pathological pulse oxymetry. We conclude, that pulse oxymetry in combination with a positive case history is a sensitive method to recognize sleep apnea-patients. Not all sleep apnea-patients' can be diagnosed only by regarding AHI without taking oxygen saturation into account.

Central sleep apnoea syndromes (cSAS) represent a heterogeneous group of sleep-related disorders of breathing during sleep. cSAS may develop in the course of neurological syndromes or congestive heart failure. Frequency increases with age. A case of a 89-year old man is reported who was sent to hospital because of a state of confusion. He fell asleep all day with periods of restlessness during night. Sleep-related apnoeas could already be observed during daytime. Cardiopulmonary daytime diagnostics did not reveal any abnormal findings. Polysomnographic measurements, however, showed an apnoea-hypopnoea index of 37.8 apnoeas/hypopnoeas per hour with predominantly central apnoeas. Pernasal application of 1 litre of oxygen per minute during sleep normalised breathing patterns, daytime sleepiness, and the nighttime states of confusion stopped. Consequently, sleep-related disorders of breathing have to be considered in the differential diagnostics of unclear states of confusion in old age. In these cases polysomnography is indicated even in geriatric patients.