Sleep apnoea is common in patients with heart failure. While most patients have central sleep apnoea (CSA), a minority have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). The pathophysiology of CSA is not well understood. We hypothesized that central chemosensitivity would be an important pathophysiological factor in patients with CSA, and not in OSA. The aim of this study was to compare ventilatory responses...

Sleep-disordered breathing in children has been associated with cognitive impairment. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) on sleep, respiration and cognitive function in children of pre-school age with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) from a low-income community population. Altogether, 19 children attending state-funded pre-school programme...

Introduction Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a respiratory disorder characterized by the repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep. It affects ~ 7 % of the population and is a major risk factor for fatigue related accidents and cardiovascular disease. The pathophysiological mechanisms of OSA are unclear and the change in mechanical properties of soft tissues and tongue muscles surr...

While hypothyroidism is considered to predispose to obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), the presence of a goitre itself is not a recognized cause of OSA. We present the cases of two euthyroid patients with large goitres and clinical evidence of OSA, whose OSA symptoms significantly improved following partial thyroidectomy. This finding suggests that the goitre contributed to their symptoms.

Obesity is a major risk factor for both obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and metabolic disease. As obesity rates continue to rise, so too does the prevalence of OSA and metabolic disorders. Indeed, recent community sample data from over 2000 adults aged 40–85 years in Switzerland indicate that up to 50% of men and almost a quarter of women have apnoea–hypopnoea indices (AHI) within the moderate t...

There is a paucity of published Indian studies on the prevalence and risk factors of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in adults. The limited published literature, however, does not suggest significant differences in the prevalence and risk factors for OSA and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) as compared to western studies. Well designed studies are required from all parts of India. Patien...

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common cause of daytime sleepiness, a condition associated with accidents, antisocial behaviour, mood disturbances, cognitive dysfunctions and inefficiency at work. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and risk factors for obstructive sleep apnoea in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods: Multistage random sampling of households was d...

The increasing numbers of patients referred for evaluation of suspected obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) places a growing burden on available sleep laboratory resources. A number of limited diagnostic systems have been developed in an effort to cope with this clinical problem. In this study, the diagnostic capabilities of one limited diagnostic system (ResCare Autoset) were compared with full pol...

Knowledge of conditions associated with an increased prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) may help to identify patients with OSA and might give some insight into the pathogenesis of OSA and its sequelae. A number of earlier, smaller studies hinted at an association between diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (AN) and OSA. The present study was, therefore, conducted with the aim...

Objective: Our objective was to investigate general and functional aspects of sexuality in male patients with a confirmed diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and compare the results with normative data. Materials and Methods: We investigated 308 male patients (age 30–69) admitted to a sleep laboratory and receiving a diagnosis of OSA, using questions drawn from two self-administered que...