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Background and Objective: The clinical significance of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in older age is uncertain. This study determined the prevalence and associations of SDB with mood, daytime sleepiness, quality of life (QOL) and cognition in a relatively healthy older Australian cohort., Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted from the Study of Neurocognitive Outcomes, Radiological and retinal Effects of Aspirin in Sleep Apnoea. Participants completed an unattended limited channel sleep study to measure the oxygen desaturation index (ODI) to define mild (ODI 5-15) and moderate/severe (ODI ≥ 15) SDB, the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Scale, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, the 12-item Short-Form for QOL and neuropsychological tests., Results: Of the 1399 participants (mean age 74.0 years), 36% (273 of 753) of men and 25% (164 of 646) of women had moderate/severe SDB. SDB was associated with lower physical health-related QOL (mild SDB: beta coefficient [β] -2.5, 95% CI -3.6 to -1.3, p < 0.001; moderate/severe SDB: β -1.8, 95% CI -3.0 to -0.6, p = 0.005) and with lower global composite cognition (mild SDB: β -0.1, 95% CI -0.2 to 0.0, p = 0.022; moderate/severe SDB: β -0.1, 95% CI -0.2 to 0.0, p = 0.032) compared to no SDB. SDB was not associated with daytime sleepiness nor depression., Conclusion: SDB was associated with lower physical health-related quality of life and cognitive function. Given the high prevalence of SDB in older age, assessing QOL and cognition may better delineate subgroups requiring further management, and provide useful treatment target measures for this age group., (© 2022 The Authors. Respirology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.)

Purpose: Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is highly prevalent in older adults. Increasing evidence links SDB to the risk of dementia, mediated via a number of pathways, some of which may be attenuated by low-dose aspirin. This study will evaluate, in a healthy older cohort, the prospective relationship between SDB and cognitive function, changes in retinal and cerebral microvasculature, and determine whether low-dose aspirin ameliorates the effects of SDB on these outcomes over 3years., Design: SNORE-ASA is a sub-study of the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) randomised, multi-centre, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the effect of daily 100mg aspirin on disability-free and dementia-free survival in the healthy older adult aged 70 and over. At baseline, 1400 ASPREE participants successfully underwent a home sleep study with a home sleep study screening device for SDB; and 296 underwent both 1.5 Tesla brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and retinal vascular imaging (RVI). Cognitive testing, brain MRI and RVI is being repeated after 3years., Primary Outcome Measures: Change in the modified mini-mental state examination score. Secondary outcome measures are changes in other cognitive tests, and changes in abnormal parameters on RVI and volume of white matter hyper-intensities on brain MRI., Conclusion: Identifying preventive therapies for delaying the onset of dementia is of paramount importance. The results of this study will help clarify the impact of the SDB on risk of cognitive decline and cerebral small vessel disease, and whether low-dose aspirin can ameliorate cognitive decline in the setting of SDB., Snore-Asa Trial Registration: ACTRN12612000891820: The Principal ASPREE study is registered with the International Standardized Randomized Controlled Trials Register, ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly, Number: ISRCTN83772183 and clinicaltrials.gov Number NCT01038583., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This document summarizes a study on the effectiveness of different interventions for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The study found that combining acetazolamide with atomoxetine-oxybutynin did not provide any additional improvement in OSA severity compared to either agent alone. Both interventions were effective in reducing the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). The study suggests that longer-term trials of these interventions in the appropriate populations are warranted. The document also discusses the role of compensatory muscle force in preventing OSA and potential pathways for attenuating OSA using different interventions. [Extracted from the article]

Background and Objective: Early‐life risk factors for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are poorly described, yet this knowledge may be critical to inform preventive strategies. We conducted the first study to investigate the association between early‐life risk factors and OSA in middle‐aged adults. Methods: Data were from population‐based Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study cohort (n = 3550) followed from 1st to 6th decades of life. Potentially relevant childhood exposures were available from a parent‐completed survey at age 7‐years, along with previously characterized risk factor profiles. Information on the primary outcome, probable OSA (based on a STOP‐Bang questionnaire cut‐off ≥5), were collected when participants were 53 years old. Associations were examined using logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders. Analyses were repeated using the Berlin questionnaire. Results: Maternal asthma (OR = 1.5; 95% CI 1.1–2.0), maternal smoking (OR = 1.2; 1.05, 1.5), childhood pleurisy/pneumonia (OR = 1.3; 1.04, 1.7) and frequent bronchitis (OR = 1.2; 1.01, 1.5) were associated with probable OSA. The risk‐factor profiles of 'parental smoking' and 'frequent asthma and bronchitis' were also associated with probable OSA (OR = 1.3; 1.01, 1.6 and OR = 1.3; 1.01–1.9, respectively). Similar associations were found for Berlin questionnaire‐defined OSA. Conclusions: We found novel temporal associations of maternal asthma, parental smoking and frequent lower respiratory tract infections before the age of 7 years with adult OSA. While determination of their pathophysiological and any causal pathways require further research, these may be useful to flag the risk of OSA within clinical practice and create awareness and vigilance among at‐risk groups. This study provides the first known evidence for individual and profiled early‐life and childhood risk factors for OSA in adults. It shows that early exposures to smoking and lower respiratory tract infections could be risks for adult OSA, which may stimulate future research and help flag future risk of OSA. See relatededitorial [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in individuals with comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea. Topics discussed include analyses performed to control for the effect of sleeping position and demographic and polysomnographic variables in apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) matched comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea (COMISA) and OSA-only patients.

Interest in lifetime lung function trajectories has increased in the context of emerging evidence that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can arise from multiple disadvantaged lung function pathways, including those that stem from poor lung function in childhood. To our knowledge, no previous study has investigated both obstructive and restrictive lifetime patterns concurrently, while accounting for potential overlaps between them. We aimed to investigate lifetime trajectories of the FEV 1 /forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio, FVC, and their combinations, relate these combined trajectory groups to static lung volume and gas transfer measurements, and investigate both risk factors for and consequences of these combined trajectory groups. Using z scores from spirometry measured at ages 7, 13, 18, 45, 50, and 53 years in the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study (n=2422), we identified six FEV 1 /FVC ratio trajectories and five FVC trajectories via group-based trajectory modelling. Based on whether trajectories of the FEV 1 /FVC ratio and FVC were low (ie, low from childhood or adulthood) or normal, four patterns of lifetime spirometry obstruction or restriction were identified and compared against static lung volumes and gas transfer. Childhood and adulthood characteristics and morbidities of these patterns were investigated. The prevalence of the four lifetime spirometry patterns was as follows: low FEV 1 /FVC ratio only, labelled as obstructive-only, 25·8%; low FVC only, labelled as restrictive-only, 10·5%; both low FEV 1 /FVC ratio and low FVC, labelled as mixed, 3·5%; and neither low FEV 1 /FVC ratio nor low FVC, labelled as reference, 60·2%. The prevalence of COPD at age 53 years was highest in the mixed pattern (31 [37%] of 84 individuals) followed by the obstructive-only pattern (135 [22%] of 626 individuals). Individuals with the mixed pattern also had the highest prevalence of parental asthma, childhood respiratory illnesses, adult asthma, and depression. Individuals with the restrictive-only pattern had lower total lung capacity and residual volume, and had the highest prevalence of childhood underweight, adult obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnoea. To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterise lifetime phenotypes of obstruction and restriction simultaneously using objective data-driven techniques and unique life course spirometry measures of FEV 1 /FVC ratio and FVC from childhood to middle age. Mixed and obstructive-only patterns indicate those who might benefit from early COPD interventions. Those with the restrictive-only pattern had evidence of true lung restriction and were at increased risk of multimorbidity by middle age. National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, The University of Melbourne, Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust of Tasmania, The Victorian, Queensland & Tasmanian Asthma Foundations, The Royal Hobart Hospital, Helen MacPherson Smith Trust, and GlaxoSmithKline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Upper airway surgery for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is an alternative treatment for patients who are intolerant of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). However, upper airway surgery has variable treatment efficacy with no reliable predictors of response. While we now know that there are several endotypes contributing to OSA (i.e., upper airway collapsibility, airway muscle response/compensation, respiratory arousal threshold and loop gain), no study to date has examined: (i) how upper airway surgery affects all four OSA endotypes, (ii) whether knowledge of baseline OSA endotypes predicts response to surgery and (iii) whether there are any differences when OSA endotypes are measured using the CPAP dial‐down or clinical polysomnographic (PSG) methods. Methods: We prospectively studied 23 OSA patients before and ≥3 months after multilevel upper airway surgery. Participants underwent clinical and research PSG to measure OSA severity (apnoea–hypopnoea index [AHI]) and endotypes (measured in supine non‐rapid eye movement [NREM]). Values are presented as mean ± SD or median (interquartile range). Results: Surgery reduced the AHITotal (38.7 [23.4 to 79.2] vs. 22.0 [13.3 to 53.5] events/h; p = 0.009). There were no significant changes in OSA endotypes, however, large but variable improvements in collapsibility were observed (CPAP dial‐down method: ∆1.9 ± 4.9 L/min, p = 0.09, n = 21; PSG method: ∆3.4 [−2.8 to 49.0]%Veupnoea, p = 0.06, n = 20). Improvement in collapsibility strongly correlated with improvement in AHI (%∆AHISupineNREM vs. ∆collapsibility: p < 0.005; R2 = 0.46–0.48). None of the baseline OSA endotypes predicted response to surgery. Conclusion: Surgery unpredictably alters upper airway collapsibility but does not alter the non‐anatomical endotypes. There are no baseline predictors of response to surgery. This is the first study to measure how upper airway surgery affects all four obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) endotypes using both the continuous positive airway pressure dial‐down and clinical polysomnographic methods. Using either method, surgery unpredictably altered the upper airway anatomy/collapsibility and did not alter the non‐anatomical endotypes. None of the baseline OSA endotypes were able to predict the response to surgery. See relatedEditorial [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous trials have demonstrated that the combination of noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors with an antimuscarinic can substantially reduce the apnoea‐hypopnoea index (AHI) and improve airway collapsibility in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). However, some studies have shown that when administered individually, neither noradrenergic or serotonergic agents have been effective at alleviating OSA. This raises the possibility that serotonergic agents (like noradrenergic agents) may also need to be delivered in combination to be efficacious. Therefore, we investigated the effect of an antimuscarinic (oxybutynin) on OSA severity when administered with either duloxetine or milnacipran, two dual noradrenergic/serotonergic reuptake inhibiters. A randomized, double‐blind, 4 way cross‐over, placebo‐controlled trial in ten OSA patients was performed. Patients received each drug condition separately across four overnight in‐lab polysomnography (PSG) studies ~1‐week apart. The primary outcome measure was the AHI. In addition, the four key OSA endotypes (collapsibility, muscle compensation, arousal threshold, loop gain) were measured non‐invasively from the PSGs using validated techniques. There was no significant effect of either drug combinations on reducing the total AHI or improving any of the key OSA endotypes. However, duloxetine+oxybutynin did significantly increase the fraction of hypopnoeas to apnoeas (FHypopnoea) compared to placebo (p = 0.02; d = 0.54). In addition, duloxetine+oxybutynin reduced time in REM sleep (p = 0.009; d = 1.03) which was positively associated with a reduction in the total AHI (R2 = 0.62; p = 0.02). Neither drug combination significantly improved OSA severity or modified the key OSA endotypes when administered as a single dose to unselected OSA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article emphasizes the critical role of sleep in overall health and highlights the prevalence of sleep disorders in the Australian population, especially among disadvantaged groups. Topics discussed include the need for primary care involvement in screening, diagnosing, and managing sleep disorders, as well as ongoing education efforts for general practitioners by organizations like the Australasian Sleep Association and The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Background: Patients with OSA can have the majority of their respiratory events in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep or in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. No previous studies have linked the different physiologic conditions in REM and NREM sleep to the common polysomnographic patterns seen in everyday clinical practice, namely REM predominant OSA (REMOSA) and NREM predominant OSA (NREMOSA).Research Question: (1) How does OSA physiologic condition change with sleep stage in patients with NREMOSA and REMOSA? (2) Do patients with NREMOSA and REMOSA have different underlying OSA pathophysiologic conditions?Study Design and Methods: We recruited patients with three polysomnographic patterns. (1) REMOSA: twice as many respiratory events in REM sleep, (2) NREMOSA: twice as many events in NREM sleep, and (3) uniform OSA: equal number of events in NREM/REM sleep. We deployed a noninvasive phenotyping method to determine OSA endotype traits (Vpassive, Vactive, loop gain, arousal threshold) in NREM sleep, REM sleep, and total night sleep in each group of patients (NREMOSA, REMOSA, uniform OSA).Results: Patients with NREMOSA have significantly worse ventilatory control stability in NREM sleep compared with REM sleep (loop gain, 0.546 [0.456,0.717] in NREM vs 0.365 [0.238,0.459] in REM sleep; P = .0026). Patients with REMOSA displayed a significantly more collapsible airway (ie, lower Vpassive) in REM compared with NREM sleep (98.4 [97.3,99.2] %Veupnea in NREM vs 95.9 [86.4,98.9] %Veupnea in REM sleep; P < .0001). The major between-group difference across the whole night was a significantly higher loop gain in the NREMOSA group (0.561 [0.429,0.675]) compared with the REMOSA group (0.459 [0.388,0.539]; P = .0033).Interpretation: This study is the first to link long-recognized polysomnographic patterns of OSA to underlying physiologic differences. Patients with NREMOSA have a higher loop gain in NREM sleep; patients with REMOSA have a worsening of Vpassive in REM sleep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even if we only consider OSA, rather than obesity itself, it is estimated that just under 1 billion people around the world have OSA,[11] the majority of whom will be overweight or obese. Given that weight loss is recommended for the majority of patients with OSA, GLP-1 agonists have the potential to play a major role in OSA treatment. Keywords: obesity; sleep apnoea; sleep disorders EN obesity sleep apnoea sleep disorders 824 825 2 08/21/23 20230901 NES 230901 Obesity is the major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).[1] While weight loss (either via lifestyle or surgical interventions) is an established effective therapy for improving OSA severity and symptoms, OSA resolution is uncommon and the reduction in apnoea hypopnoea index (AHI) with weight loss is unpredictable.[[2]] Despite these known benefits, the biggest challenge for OSA patients, and in obesity in general, is the ability to maintain weight loss over time. [Extracted from the article]

Weight loss is one of the first line treatments for people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); however, people with OSA may have difficulties losing weight. Few studies have investigated the factors underlying these challenges in people with OSA. The aim of this study was to compare dietary intake, eating behavior and physical activity data in people with OSA and without OSA. Seventy-four patients referred to a sleep disorders clinic for suspected OSA underwent a standard clinical overnight polysomnography and completed questionnaires assessing dietary intake, physical activity and eating behavior prior to treatment. On the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18 patients with OSA (n = 49, AHI 19.5 [13.0–55.4] events/h) had higher levels of uncontrolled eating (adjusted means, 19.7 (0.7) vs 16.1 (1.0): F (1, 69) = 7.103, p = 0.010 partial η2 = 0.093), than those who did not have OSA (n = 25, AHI 3.3 [0.8–4.4] events/h) after adjusting for age, fat mass % and depression. There were no differences between groups in dietary intake measures or physical activity. These results suggest that people with OSA may need specific attention to eating behavior when undergoing weight loss interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Unstable ventilatory control (high loop gain) is a causal factor in the development of obstructive sleep apnea. Methods for quantifying loop gain using polysomnography have been developed that predict favorable responses to upper airway surgery. However, this method is reliant on respiratory event scoring and hence may be affected by hypopnea scoring criteria.Objectives: To determine to what extent differences in hypopnea scoring influence loop gain measurement.Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 46 polysomnograms before and after upper airway surgery. Polysomnograms were rescored according to three different American Academy of Sleep Medicine hypopnea definitions (2007Alternative, 2012Recommended, and 2012Acceptable criteria). Loop gain and apnea-hypopnea indexes (AHIs) were compared between criteria using linear regression and Bland-Altman limits of agreement (LOA). Responders to surgery were classified by a 50% or greater reduction in AHI and AHIpostsurgery less than 10 events per hour. Responders were determined separately for each American Academy of Sleep Medicine criterion. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis predicting surgical outcome was performed for each loop gain measurement derived from each criterion.Results: A near-perfect agreement was found between loop gains derived using the 2007Alternative and 2012Recommended criteria (r2 = 0.99; bias = -0.003; LOA, -0.016 to 0.010). Greater variability was found for 2012Acceptable compared to the 2007Alternative (r2 = 0.70; bias = -0.015; LOA, -0.099 to 0.070) and 2012Recommended (r2 = 0.69; bias = +0.018; LOA, -0.068 to 0.104) criteria. Both 2007Alternative and 2012Recommended loop gains significantly predicted surgical response with similar areas under the curve (AUCs; 2007Alternative AUC = 0.86 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.75-0.97]; 2012Recommended AUC = 0.84 [95% CI, 0.71-0.97]). 2012Acceptable loop gains were a poor predictor of surgical response (AUC = 0.62 [95% CI, 0.43-0.80]).Conclusions: Loop gain measured noninvasively by polysomnography can be influenced by respiratory event scoring. We recommend caution when using the 2012Acceptable criteria with this method, because such findings may not be directly generalizable to other loop gain values derived from other scoring criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to provide an updated systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) investigating the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions on weight loss and the impact on the severity of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). A systematic search of five databases between 1980 and May 2018 was used to identify all RCT which employed a lifestyle intervention (i.e. diet‐only, exercise‐only or combination of the two) aiming to reduce the severity of OSA (assessed using the apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI)). Random‐effects meta‐analyses followed by meta‐regression were conducted. Ten RCT involving 702 participants (Intervention group: n = 354; Control group: n = 348) were assessed in two meta‐analyses. The weighted mean difference in AHI (−8.09 events/h, 95% CI: −11.94 to −4.25) and body mass index (BMI, −2.41 kg/m2, 95% CI: −4.09 to −0.73) both significantly favoured lifestyle interventions over control arms. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that all interventions were associated with reductions in the AHI, but only the diet‐only interventions were associated with a significant reduction in BMI. No association was found between the reduction in AHI or BMI and the length of the intervention, or with baseline AHI and BMI levels. All lifestyle interventions investigated appear effective for improving OSA severity and should be an essential component of treatment for OSA. Future research should be directed towards identifying subgroups likely to reap greater treatment benefits as well as other therapeutic benefits provided by these interventions. See relatedEditorial [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Polysomnography is the standard diagnostic test for the diagnosis of OSA in adult patients in whom there is a concern for OSA based on a comprehensive sleep evaluation." (STRONG)" 3.3 The WSS supports this recommendation 1 3.3.1 Caveat and comments OSA screening questionnaires have reasonably good sensitivity, but still not high enough to reliably exclude OSA. Keywords: Sleep related breathing disorders EN Sleep related breathing disorders 152 154 3 03/03/21 20210301 NES 210301 1 Introduction This guideline was selected for review by the World Sleep Society (WSS) Sleep and Breathing Disorder Group A Taskforce and the WSS International Sleep Medicine Guidelines Committee. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on the low respiratory arousal threshold (ArTHResp) is one of several endotypes that contribute to the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Topics include it has emerged as a potential drugable target to treat OSA; and the ArTHResp score is a clinically useful tool to predict the presence of a low ArTHResp in patients with OSA when using the American Academy of Sleep Medicine 2012 Recommended (AASM2012Rec) hypopnea scoring criteria.

ABSTRACT Background and objective Obstructive sleep apnoea ( OSA) is typically worse in the supine versus lateral sleeping position. One potential factor driving this observation is a decrease in lung volume in the supine position which is expected by theory to increase a key OSA pathogenic factor: dynamic ventilatory control instability (i.e. loop gain). We aimed to quantify dynamic loop gain in OSA patients in the lateral and supine positions, and to explore the relationship between change in dynamic loop gain and change in lung volume with position. Methods Data from 20 patients enrolled in previous studies on the effect of body position on OSA pathogenesis were retrospectively analysed. Dynamic loop gain was calculated from routinely collected polysomnographic signals using a previously validated mathematical model. Lung volumes were measured in the awake state with a nitrogen washout technique. Results Dynamic loop gain was significantly higher in the supine than in the lateral position (0.77 ± 0.15 vs 0.68 ± 0.14, P = 0.012). Supine functional residual capacity ( FRC) was significantly lower than lateral FRC (81.0 ± 15.4% vs 87.3 ± 18.4% of the seated FRC, P = 0.021). The reduced FRC we observed on moving to the supine position was predicted by theory to increase loop gain by 10.2 (0.6, 17.1)%, a value similar to the observed increase of 8.4 (−1.5, 31.0)%. Conclusion Dynamic loop gain increased by a small but statistically significant amount when moving from the lateral to supine position and this may, in part, contribute to the worsening of OSA in the supine sleeping position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between obesity and OSA is complex. Although it is often assumed that obesity is the major cause of OSA, and that treatment of the OSA might mitigate further weight gain, new evidence is emerging that suggests this may not be the case. Obesity explains about 60% of the variance of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) definition of OSA, mainly in those < 50 years and less so in the elderly. Moreover, long-term treatment of OSA with CPAP is associated with a small but significant weight gain. This weight gain effect may result from abolition of the increased work of breathing associated with OSA. Unfortunately, weight loss by either medical or surgical techniques, which often cures type 2 diabetes, has a beneficial effect on sleep apnea in only a minority of patients. A short jaw length may be predictive of a better outcome. The slight fall in the overall AHI with weight loss, however, may be associated with a larger drop in the nonsupine AHI, thus converting some patients from nonpositional to positional (ie, supine only) OSA. Importantly, patients undergoing surgical weight loss need close monitoring to prevent complications. Finally, in patients with moderate to severe obesity-related OSA, the combination of weight loss with CPAP appears more beneficial than either treatment in isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clinical utility of limited-channel sleep studies (which are increasingly conducted at home) versus laboratory polysomnography (PSG) for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is unclear.Objective: To compare patient outcomes after PSG versus limited-channel studies.Design: Multicenter, randomized, noninferiority study. (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12611000926932).Setting: 7 academic sleep centers.Participants: Patients (n = 406) aged 25 to 80 years with suspected OSA.Intervention: Sleep study information disclosed to sleep physicians comprised level 1 (L1) PSG data (n = 135); level 3 (L3), which included airflow, thoracoabdominal bands, body position, electrocardiography, and oxygen saturation (n = 136); or level 4 (L4), which included oxygen saturation and heart rate (n = 135).Measurements: The primary outcome was change in Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ) score at 4 months. Secondary outcomes included the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Sleep Apnea Symptoms Questionnaire (SASQ), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) compliance, and physician decision making.Results: Change in FOSQ score was not inferior for L3 (mean difference [MD], 0.01 [95% CI, -0.47 to 0.49; P = 0.96]) or L4 (MD, -0.46 [CI, -0.94 to 0.02; P = 0.058]) versus L1 (noninferiority margin [NIM], -1.0). Compared with L1, change in ESS score was not inferior for L3 (MD, 0.08 [CI, -0.98 to 1.13; P = 0.89]) but was inconclusive for L4 (MD, 1.30 [CI, 0.26 to 2.35; P = 0.015]) (NIM, 2.0). For L4 versus L1, there was less improvement in SASQ score (-17.8 vs. -24.7; P = 0.018), less CPAP use (4.5 vs. 5.3 hours per night; P = 0.04), and lower physician diagnostic confidence (P = 0.003).Limitation: Limited-channel studies were simulated by extracting laboratory PSG data and were not done in the home.Conclusion: The results support manually scored L3 testing in routine practice. Poorer outcomes with L4 testing may relate, in part, to reduced physician confidence.Primary Funding Source: National Health and Medical Research Council and Repat Foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common disorder with under-rated clinical impact, which is increasingly being recognised as having a major bearing on global disease burden. Men are especially vulnerable and become a priority group for preventative interventions. However, there is limited information on prevalence of the condition in Australia, its co-morbidities, and potential risk factors.Methods: We used data from 13,423 adult men included in the baseline wave of Ten to Men, an Australian national study of the health of males, assembled using stratified cluster sampling with oversampling from rural and regional areas. Those aged 18-55 years self-completed a paper-based questionnaire that included a question regarding health professional-diagnosed sleep apnoea, physical and mental health status, and health-related behaviours. Sampling weights were used to account for the sampling design when reporting the prevalence estimates. Odds ratios were used to describe the association between health professional-diagnosed sleep apnoea and potential correlates while adjusting for age, country of birth, and body-mass index (BMI).Results: Prevalence of self-reported health professional-diagnosed sleep apnoea increased from 2.2 % in age 18-25 years to 7.8 % in the age 45-55 years. Compared with those without sleep apnoea, those with sleep apnoea had significantly poorer physical, mental, and self-rated health as well as lower subjective wellbeing and poorer concentration/remembering (p < 0.001 for all). Sleep apnoea was significantly associated with older age (p < 0.001), unemployment (p < 0.001), asthma (p = 0.011), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/chronic bronchitis (p = 0.002), diabetes (p < 0.001), hypercholesterolemia (p < 0.001), hypertension (p < 0.001), heart attack (p < 0.001), heart failure (p < 0.001), angina (p < 0.001), depression (p < 0.001), post-traumatic stress disorder (p < 0.001), other anxiety disorders (p < 0.001), schizophrenia (p = 0.002), overweight/obesity (p < 0.001), insufficient physical activity (p = 0.006), smoking (p = 0.005), and high alcohol consumption (p < 0.001).Conclusion: Health professional-diagnosed sleep apnoea is relatively common, particularly in older males. Associations between sleep apnoea and cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, and psychiatric disorders have important clinical and public health implications. As men are especially vulnerable to sleep apnoea as well as some of its chronic co-morbidities, they are potentially a priority group for health interventions. Modifiable lifestyle related factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, level of physical activity and BMI are possible key foci for interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective This study aimed to evaluate the involvement of airway cross-sectional area and shape, and functional residual capacity ( FRC), in the genesis of obstructive sleep apnoea ( OSA) in patients with supine-predominant OSA. Methods Three groups were recruited: (i) supine OSA, defined as a supine apnoea-hyponoea index ( AHI) at least twice that of the non-supine AHI; (ii) rapid eye movement ( REM) OSA, defined as REM AHI at least twice the non- REM AHI and also selected to have supine AHI less than twice that of the non-supine AHI (i.e. to be non-positional); and (iii) no OSA, defined as an AHI less than five events per hour. The groups were matched for age, gender and body mass index. Patients underwent four-dimensional computed tomography scanning of the upper airway in the supine and lateral decubitus positions. FRC was measured in the seated, supine and lateral decubitus positions. Results Patients with supine OSA demonstrated a significant decrease in FRC of 340 mL ( P = 0.026) when moving from the lateral to supine position compared to controls with no OSA, and REM OSA patients. We found no differences between groups in upper airway size and shape. However, all groups showed a significant change in airway shape with the velopharyngeal airway adopting a more elliptoid shape (with the long axis laterally oriented), with reduced anteroposterior diameter in the supine position. Conclusions A fall in FRC when moving lateral to supine in supine OSA patients may be an important triggering factor in the generation of OSA in this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The most striking feature of obstructive respiratory events is that they are at their most severe and frequent in the supine sleeping position: indeed, more than half of all obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients can be classified as supine related OSA. Existing evidence points to supine related OSA being attributable to unfavorable airway geometry, reduced lung volume, and an inability of airway dilator muscles to adequately compensate as the airway collapses. The role of arousal threshold and ventilatory control instability in the supine position has however yet to be defined. Crucially, few physiological studies have examined patients in the lateral and supine positions, so there is little information to elucidate how breathing stability is affected by sleep posture. The mechanisms of supine related OSA can be overcome by the use of continuous positive airway pressure. There are conflicting data on the utility of oral appliances, while the effectiveness of weight loss and nasal expiratory resistance remains unclear. Avoidance of the supine posture is efficacious, but long term compliance data and well powered randomized controlled trials are lacking. The treatment of supine related OSA remains largely ignored in major clinical guidelines. Supine OSA is the dominant phenotype of the OSA syndrome. This review explains why the supine position so favors upper airway collapse and presents the available data on the management of patients with supine related OSA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: The cardiovascular risk from moderate OSA (AHI, 15–30/h) is uncertain, particularly if the oxygen desaturation index is low, although the data suggest an increased risk for stroke (particularly in men). There is no evidence of increased cardiovascular risk from mild OSA (AHI < 15/h). In the elderly, the cardiovascular risks of OSA are uncertain, although there is a likelihood of increased risk of stroke. Current, ongoing randomised controlled trials will inform whether OSA is a reversible cardiovascular risk factor within the next 5 years.Patients with cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity or poorly controlled hypertension are at high risk of OSA and should be questioned for symptoms of OSA, which, if present, may warrant further investigation and treatment.Weight loss has an unpredictable effect on OSA severity, but is independently beneficial for symptoms and metabolic health in OSA patients and is recommended for all overweight and obese OSA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

See related Article [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

See related Article [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Oral appliances (OAs) are commonly used as an alternative treatment to continuous positive airway pressure for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, OAs have variable success at reducing the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), and predicting responders is challenging. Understanding this variability may lie with the recognition that OSA is a multifactorial disorder and that OAs may affect more than just upper-airway anatomy/collapsibility.Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine how OA alters AHI and four phenotypic traits (upper-airway anatomy/collapsibility and muscle function, loop gain, and arousal threshold), and baseline predictors of which patients gain the greatest benefit from therapy.Methods: In a randomized crossover study, 14 patients with OSA attended two sleep studies with and without their OA. Under each condition, AHI and the phenotypic traits were assessed. Multiple linear regression was used to determine independent predictors of the reduction in AHI.Measurements and Main Results: OA therapy reduced the AHI (30 ± 5 vs. 11 ± 2 events/h; P < 0.05), which was driven by improvements in upper-airway anatomy/collapsibility under passive (1.9 ± 0.7 vs. 4.7 ± 0.6 L/min; P < 0.005) and active conditions (2.4 ± 0.9 vs. 6.2 ± 0.4 L/min; P < 0.001). No changes were seen in muscle function, loop gain, or the arousal threshold. Using multivariate analysis, baseline passive upper-airway collapsibility and loop gain were independent predictors of the reduction in AHI (r2 = 0.70; P = 0.001).Conclusions: Our findings suggest that OA therapy improves the upper-airway collapsibility under passive and active conditions. Importantly, a greater response to therapy occurred in those patients with a mild anatomic compromise and a lower loop gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluates if treating sleep disturbances improves cognitive function over at least 12 weeks.Methods: Multiple data sources were searched until November 1, 2021. RCTs were included if they examined the effect of an intervention (behavioral or medical) on sleep and cognition in an adult sample with sleep disturbances and had an intervention duration and follow-up of at least 12 weeks. Two independent reviewers located 3784 studies; 16 satisfied the inclusion criteria. Primary outcomes included the broad cognitive domains of visual processing, short-term memory, long-term storage and retrieval, processing speed, and reaction time.Results: Most trials were conducted in participants with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA; N = 13); the most studied intervention was continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP; N = 10). All RCTs were 12 months in duration or less. The estimates of mean pooled effects were not indicative of significant treatment effect for any primary outcome. Although the interventions reduced daytime sleepiness (Hedge's g, 0.51; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.74; p < 0.01), this did not lead to cognitive enhancement.Conclusions: Overall, there was insufficient evidence to suggest that treating sleep dysfunction can improve cognition. Further studies with longer follow-up duration and supporting biomarkers are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short pauses or “transition-periods” at the end of expiration and prior to subsequent inspiration are commonly observed during sleep in humans. However, the role of transition periods in regulating ventilation during physiological challenges such as partial airway obstruction (PAO) has not been investigated. Twenty-nine obstructive sleep apnea patients and eight controls underwent overnight polysomnography with an epiglottic catheter. Sustained-PAO segments (increased epiglottic pressure over ≥5 breaths without increased peak inspiratory flow) and unobstructed reference segments were manually scored during apnea-free non-REM sleep. Nasal pressure data was computationally segmented into inspiratory (T I , shortest period achieving 95% inspiratory volume), expiratory (T E , shortest period achieving 95% expiratory volume), and inter-breath transition period (T Trans , period between T E and subsequent T I ). Compared with reference segments, sustained-PAO segments had a mean relative reduction in T Trans (−24.7 ± 17.6%, P < 0.001), elevated T I (11.8 ± 10.5%, P < 0.001), and a small reduction in T E (−3.9 ± 8.0, P ≤ 0.05). Compensatory increases in inspiratory period during PAO are primarily explained by reduced transition period and not by reduced expiratory period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]