Tetraplegia is a risk factor for central sleep apnea

Insights, recommendations, and research priorities for central sleep apnea: report from an expert panel

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is commonly encountered among patients with sleep-disordered breathing; however, its clinical consequences are less well-characterized. The senior author (A.M.) therefore convened an expert panel to discuss the common presentations of CSA, as well as challenges and knowledge gaps in the diagnosis and management of CSA. The panel identified several key research priorities essential for advancing our understanding of the disorder. Within the diagnostic realm, panel members discussed the utility of multinight assessments and importance of the development and validation of novel metrics and automated assessments for differentiating central vs obstructive hypopneas, such that their impact on clinical outcomes and management may be better evaluated. The panel also discussed the current therapeutic landscape for the management of CSA and agreed that therapies should primarily aim to alleviate sleep-related symptoms, after optimizing treatment to address the underlying cause. Most importantly, the panel concluded that there is a need to further investigate the clinical consequences of CSA, as well as the implications of therapy on clinical outcomes, particularly among those who are asymptomatic. Future research should focus on endo-phenotyping central events for a better mechanistic understanding of the disease, validating novel diagnostic methods for implementation in routine clinical practice, as well as the use of combination therapy and comparative effectiveness trials in elucidating the most efficacious interventions for managing CSA.

CITATION

Kundel V, Ahn A, Arzt M, et al. Insights, recommendations, and research priorities for central sleep apnea: report from an expert panel. J Clin Sleep Med. 2025;21(2):405-416.

Prolonged intermittent hypoxia differentially regulates phrenic motor neuron serotonin receptor expression in rats following chronic cervical spinal cord injury

Low-dose (< 2 h/day), acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) elicits multiple forms of serotonin-dependent phrenic motor plasticity and is emerging as a promising therapeutic strategy to restore respiratory and non-respiratory motor function after spinal cord injury (SCI). In contrast, high-dose (> 8 h/day), chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) undermines some forms of serotonin-dependent phrenic motor plasticity and elicits pathology. CIH is a hallmark of sleep disordered breathing, which is highly prevalent in individuals with cervical SCI. Interestingly, AIH and CIH preconditioning differentially impact phrenic motor plasticity. Although mechanisms of AIH-induced plasticity in the phrenic motor system are well-described in naïve rats, we know little concerning how these mechanisms are affected by chronic SCI or intermittent hypoxia preconditioning. Thus, in a rat model of chronic, incomplete cervical SCI (lateral spinal hemisection at C2 (C2Hx), we assessed serotonin type 2A, 2B and 7 receptor expression in and near phrenic motor neurons and compared: 1) intact vs. chronically injured rats; and 2) the impact of preconditioning with varied "doses" of intermittent hypoxia (IH). While there were no effects of chronic injury or intermittent hypoxia alone, CIH affected multiple receptors in rats with chronic C2Hx. Specifically, CIH preconditioning (8 h/day; 28 days) increased serotonin 2A and 7 receptor expression exclusively in rats with chronic C2Hx. Understanding the complex, context-specific interactions between chronic SCI and CIH and how this ultimately impacts phrenic motor plasticity is important as we leverage AIH-induced motor plasticity to restore breathing and other non-respiratory motor functions in people with chronic SCI.

Prevalences of sleep-related breathing disorders and severity factors in chronic spinal cord injury and abled-bodied individuals undergoing rehabilitation: a comparative study

STUDY OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to discern distinguishing characteristics of sleep-related breathing disorders in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (CSCI) compared with participants without CSCI. Additionally, the study investigated factors associated with sleep-related breathing disorder severity.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional analysis of 123 individuals without CSCI, 40 tetraplegics, and 48 paraplegics who underwent attended or partially supervised full polysomnography for suspected sleep-related breathing disorders in a rehabilitation center. Polysomnographic, transcutaneous capnography, and clinical data were collected and compared between the groups.

RESULTS

Among tetraplegics, apnea-hypopnea index ≥ 30 events/h (67.5%, P = .003), central apnea (17.5%, P = .007), and higher oxygen desaturation index (80.0%, P = .01) prevailed. Sleep-related hypoventilation was present in 15.4% of tetraplegics and 15.8% of paraplegics, compared with 3.2% in participants without CSCI (P = .05). In the group without CSCI and the paraplegic group, snoring and neck circumference were positively correlated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity. A positive correlation between waist circumference and OSA severity was identified in all groups, and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that loud snoring and waist circumference had the greatest impact on OSA severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Severe OSA and central sleep apnea prevailed in tetraplegic participants. Sleep-related hypoventilation was more common in tetraplegics and paraplegics than in participants without CSCI. Loud snoring and waist circumference had an impact on OSA severity in all groups. We recommend the routine implementation of transcutaneous capnography in individuals with CSCI. We underscore the significance of conducting a comprehensive sleep assessment in the rehabilitation process for individuals with CSCI.

CITATION

Souza Bastos P, Amaral TLD, Yehia HC, Tavares A. Prevalences of sleep-related breathing disorders and severity factors in chronic spinal cord injury and abled-bodied individuals undergoing rehabilitation: a comparative study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(7):1119-1129.

Prevalence of central sleep apnea in people with tetraplegic spinal cord injury: a retrospective analysis of research and clinical data

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Over 80% of people with tetraplegia have sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), but whether this is predominantly obstructive or central is unclear. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of central sleep apnea (CSA) in tetraplegia and the contributions of central, obstructive, and hypopnea respiratory events to SDB summary indices in tetraplegia.

METHODS

Research and clinical data from 606 individuals with tetraplegia and full overnight polysomnography were collated. The proportions of different respiratory event types were calculated; overall and for mild, moderate, and severe disease. The prevalence of Predominant CSA (Central Apnea Index [CAI] ≥ 5 and more central than obstructive apneas) and Any CSA (CAI ≥ 5) was estimated. Prevalence of sleep-related hypoventilation (SRH) was estimated in a clinical sub-cohort.

RESULTS

Respiratory events were primarily hypopneas (71%), followed by obstructive (23%), central (4%), and mixed apneas (2%). As severity increased, the relative contribution of hypopneas and central apneas decreased, while that of obstructive apneas increased. The prevalence of Predominant CSA and Any CSA were 4.3% (26/606) and 8.4% (51/606) respectively. Being male, on opiates and having a high tetraplegic spinal cord injury were associated with CSA. SRH was identified in 26% (26/113) of the clinical sub-cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest study to characterize SDB in tetraplegia. It provides strong evidence that obstructive sleep apnea is the predominant SDB type; 9-18 times more prevalent than CSA. The prevalence of CSA was estimated to be 4%-8%, significantly lower than previously reported.

Central sleep apnea: pathophysiologic classification

Central sleep apnea is not a single disorder; it can present as an isolated disorder or as a part of other clinical syndromes. In some conditions, such as heart failure, central apneic events are due to transient inhibition of ventilatory motor output during sleep, owing to the overlapping influences of sleep and hypocapnia. Specifically, the sleep state is associated with removal of wakefulness drive to breathe; thus, rendering ventilatory motor output dependent on the metabolic ventilatory control system, principally PaCO2. Accordingly, central apnea occurs when PaCO2 is reduced below the "apneic threshold". Our understanding of the pathophysiology of central sleep apnea has evolved appreciably over the past decade; accordingly, in disorders such as heart failure, central apnea is viewed as a form of breathing instability, manifesting as recurrent cycles of apnea/hypopnea, alternating with hyperpnea. In other words, ventilatory control operates as a negative-feedback closed-loop system to maintain homeostasis of blood gas tensions within a relatively narrow physiologic range, principally PaCO2. Therefore, many authors have adopted the engineering concept of "loop gain" (LG) as a measure of ventilatory instability and susceptibility to central apnea. Increased LG promotes breathing instabilities in a number of medical disorders. In some other conditions, such as with use of opioids, central apnea occurs due to inhibition of rhythm generation within the brainstem. This review will address the pathogenesis, pathophysiologic classification, and the multitude of clinical conditions that are associated with central apnea, and highlight areas of uncertainty.

Tetraplegia is associated with increased hypoxic ventilatory response during nonrapid eye movement sleep

People with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) are likely to experience chronic intermittent hypoxia while sleeping. The physiological effects of intermittent hypoxia on the respiratory system during spontaneous sleep in individuals with chronic cervical SCI are unknown. We hypothesized that individuals with cervical SCI would demonstrate higher short- and long-term ventilatory responses to acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) exposure than individuals with thoracic SCI during sleep. Twenty participants (10 with cervical SCI [9 male] and 10 with thoracic SCI [6 male]) underwent an AIH and sham protocol during sleep. During the AIH protocol, each participant experienced 15 episodes of isocapnic hypoxia using mixed gases of 100% nitrogen (N2 ) and 40% carbon dioxide (CO2 ) to achieve an oxygen saturation of less than 90%. This was followed by two breaths of 100% oxygen (O2 ). Measurements were collected before, during, and 40 min after the AIH protocol to obtain ventilatory data. During the sham protocol, participants breathed room air for the same amount of time that elapsed during the AIH protocol and at approximately the same time of night. Hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) during the AIH protocol was significantly higher in participants with cervical SCI than those with thoracic SCI. There was no significant difference in minute ventilation (V.E. ), tidal volume (V.T. ), or respiratory frequency (f) during the recovery period after AIH in cervical SCI compared to thoracic SCI groups. Individuals with cervical SCI demonstrated a significant short-term increase in HVR compared to thoracic SCI. However, there was no evidence of ventilatory long-term facilitation following AIH in either group.

Central sleep apnea

Central apnea syndrome is a disorder with protean manifestations and concomitant conditions. It can occur as a distinct clinical entity or as part of another clinical syndrome. The pathogenesis of central sleep apnea (CSA) varies depending on the clinical condition. Sleep-related withdrawal of the ventilatory drive to breathe is the common denominator among all cases of central apnea, whereas hypocapnia is the final common pathway leading to apnea in the majority of central apnea. Medical conditions most closely associated with CSA include heart failure, stroke, spinal cord injury, and opioid use, among others. Nocturnal polysomnography is the standard diagnostic method, including measurement of sleep and respiration. The latter includes detection of flow, measurement of oxyhemoglobin saturation and detection of respiratory effort. Management strategy incorporates clinical presentation, associated conditions, and the polysomnographic findings in an individualized manner. The pathophysiologic heterogeneity may explain the protean clinical manifestations and the lack of a single effective therapy for all patients. While research has enhanced our understanding of the pathogenesis of central apnea, treatment options are extrapolated from treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Co-morbid conditions and concomitant obstructive sleep apnea influence therapeutic approach significantly. Therapeutic options include positive pressure therapy, pharmacologic therapy, and supplemental Oxygen. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the initial standard of care, although the utility of other modes of positive pressure therapy, as well as pharmacotherapy and device-based therapies, are currently being investigated.

Is Sleep Disordered Breathing Confounding Rehabilitation Outcomes in Spinal Cord Injury Research?

The purpose of this article is to highlight the importance of considering sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) as a potential confounder to rehabilitation research interventions in spinal cord injury (SCI). SDB is highly prevalent in SCI, with increased prevalence in individuals with higher and more severe lesions, and the criterion standard treatment with continuous positive airway pressure remains problematic. Despite its high prevalence, SDB is often untested and untreated in individuals with SCI. In individuals without SCI, SDB is known to negatively affect physical function and many of the physiological systems that negatively affect physical rehabilitation in SCI. Thus, owing to the high prevalence, under testing, low treatment adherence, and known negative effect on the physical function, it is contended that underdiagnosed SDB in SCI may be confounding physical rehabilitation research studies in individuals with SCI. Studies investigating the effect of treating SDB and its effect on physical rehabilitation in SCI were unable to be located. Thus, studies investigating the likely integrated relationship among physical rehabilitation, SDB, and proper treatment of SDB in SCI are needed. Owing to rapid growth in both sleep medicine and physical rehabilitation intervention research in SCI, the authors contend it is the appropriate time to begin the conversations and collaborations between these fields. We discuss a general overview of SDB and physical training modalities, as well as how SDB could be affecting these studies.

Mirtazapine reduces susceptibility to hypocapnic central sleep apnea in males with sleep-disordered breathing: a pilot study

Studies in humans and animal models with spinal cord injury (SCI) have demonstrated that medications targeting serotonin receptors may decrease the susceptibility to central sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). We hypothesized that mirtazapine would decrease the propensity to develop hypocapnic central sleep apnea (CSA) during sleep. We performed a single-blind pilot study on a total of 10 men with SDB (7 with chronic SCI and 3 noninjured) aged 52.0 ± 11.2 yr. Participants were randomly assigned to either mirtazapine (15 mg at bedtime) or a placebo for at least 1 wk, followed by a 7-day washout period before crossing over to the other intervention. Split-night studies included polysomnography and induction of hypocapnic CSA using a noninvasive ventilation (NIV) protocol. The primary outcome was CO2 reserve, defined as the difference between eupneic and end of NIV end-tidal CO2 ([Formula: see text]) preceding induced hypocapneic CSA. Secondary outcomes included controller gain (CG), other ventilatory parameters, and SDB severity. CG was defined as the ratio of change in minute ventilation (V̇e) between control and hypopnea to the change in CO2 during sleep. CO2 reserve was significantly widened on mirtazapine than placebo (-3.8 ± 1.2 vs. -2.0 ± 1.5 mmHg; P = 0.015). CG was significantly decreased on mirtazapine compared with placebo [2.2 ± 0.7 vs. 3.5 ± 1.9 L/(mmHg × min); P = 0.023]. There were no significant differences for other ventilatory parameters assessed or SDB severity between mirtazapine and placebo trials. These findings suggest that the administration of mirtazapine can decrease the susceptibility to central apnea by reducing chemosensitivity and increasing CO2 reserve; however, considering the lack of changes in apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), further research is required to understand the significance of this finding.NEW & NOTEWORTHY To our knowledge, this research study is novel as it is the first study in humans assessing the effect of mirtazapine on CO2 reserve and chemosensitivity in individuals with severe sleep-disordered breathing. This is also the first study to determine the potential therapeutic effects of mirtazapine on sleep parameters in individuals with a spinal cord injury.

Sleep disruption considerations for Paralympic athletes competing at Tokyo 2020

The role of sleep is now recognized as an important component for success in athletic performance, and sleep is proposed to be one of the most effective recovery strategies available. Insufficient sleep is commonly reported among athletes while several factors have been put forward to explain why elite athletes might experience poor sleep. However, Paralympic athletes may be predisposed to a greater risk of poor sleep due to the associated complexities of some impairment types. In fact, clinical research has previously shown that individuals with disabilities have a higher prevalence of sleep disturbances when compared to their able-bodied counterparts. However, research and evidence-based practices regarding the sleep of elite Paralympic athletes are limited. Firstly, this narrative review aims to identify challenges associated with the Paralympic games to obtain optimal sleep. Secondly, identify the specific risk factors to sleep associated with particular impairment groups within the Paralympic population, and lastly to propose potential sleep-enhancing strategies that might be of relevance for Paralympic athletes. From this review, initial observations have identified that Paralympic athletes may have a heightened risk of sleep-related problems, and importantly highlighted the current lack of understanding within this population group. Furthermore, this review identified where further research is warranted to better understand how specific impairments impact sleep and, consequently, athletic performance. Additionally, this review highlighted that the forthcoming Tokyo games may offer a unique challenge for athletes trying to obtain optimal sleep, due to the anticipated thermal demands and the consequent irregular scheduling of events.

Prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in people with tetraplegia-a systematic review and meta-analysis

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review with meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in people with tetraplegia and to identify the characteristics associated with SDB.

METHODS

A systematic literature search using Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and grey literature sources was conducted using a combination of spinal cord injury (SCI) and SDB related terms. Articles were restricted to publication dates between 1/1/2000 and 4/9/2020 and with objectively measured SDB with an overnight sleep study. The frequency of SDB stratified by the apnoea hypopnea index (AHI) was extracted and weighted averages, using a random effects model, were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. Sub-group analyses were performed where possible.

RESULTS

Twelve articles were included in the review; of these nine were included in meta-analysis (combined sample = 630). Sample sizes and case detection methods varied. Reported SDB prevalence rates ranged from 46 to 97%. The prevalence of at least mild (AHI ≥ 5), moderate (AHI ≥ 15) and severe (AHI ≥ 30) SDB were 83% (95% CI = 73-91), 59% (46-71) and 36% (26-46), respectively. Sub-group analyses found that prevalence increased with age (p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in SDB prevalence by sex (p = 0.06), complete/incomplete SCI (p = 0.06), body mass index (p = 0.07), acute/chronic SCI (p = 0.73) or high/low level of cervical SCI (p = 0.90).

CONCLUSION

Our results confirm that SDB is highly prevalent in people with tetraplegia, and prevalence increases with age. The high prevalence suggests that routine screening and subsequent treatment should be considered in both acute and community care.

Research Priorities for Patients with Heart Failure and Central Sleep Apnea. An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement

Background: Central sleep apnea (CSA) is common among patients with heart failure and has been strongly linked to adverse outcomes. However, progress toward improving outcomes for such patients has been limited. The purpose of this official statement from the American Thoracic Society is to identify key areas to prioritize for future research regarding CSA in heart failure.

Methods: An international multidisciplinary group with expertise in sleep medicine, pulmonary medicine, heart failure, clinical research, and health outcomes was convened. The group met at the American Thoracic Society 2019 International Conference to determine research priority areas. A statement summarizing the findings of the group was subsequently authored using input from all members.

Results: The workgroup identified 11 specific research priorities in several key areas: 1) control of breathing and pathophysiology leading to CSA, 2) variability across individuals and over time, 3) techniques to examine CSA pathogenesis and outcomes, 4) impact of device and pharmacological treatment, and 5) implementing CSA treatment for all individuals

Conclusions: Advancing care for patients with CSA in the context of heart failure will require progress in the arenas of translational (basic through clinical), epidemiological, and patient-centered outcome research. Given the increasing prevalence of heart failure and its associated substantial burden to individuals, society, and the healthcare system, targeted research to improve knowledge of CSA pathogenesis and treatment is a priority.

A review of sleep research in patients with spinal cord injury

Study design: Systematic review. Objectives: Sleep disturbances are a common complaint among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and were not usually present before the SCI. Their sleep disturbances, including disrupted sleep, spasms, and problems with initiating and sustaining sleep through the night, affect SCI individuals' overall quality of life due to excessive tiredness and low energy levels during the day. Despite the high prevalence of sleep complaints in this population, current knowledge about sleep in the SCI population has not been systematically assessed. Setting: Capital Region of Denmark. Methods: We systematically reviewed literature identified from the PubMed and EMBASE databases following PRISMA guidelines.Thirty-seven articles met our inclusion criteria, as only controlled studies were included. This could be a comparison of (1) SCI individuals and able-bodied controls, (2) cervical with thoracolumbar SCI individuals, or (3) cervical, thoracolumbar SCI individuals and able-bodied controls. Results: Individuals with SCI have a higher prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing and periodic leg movements during sleep (PLMS), lower heart rate, but no nocturnal lowering of blood pressure. 24-hour energy expenditure and sleeping metabolic rate were significantly lower, and bowel movements were altered. Endocrine alterations were found in investigations of melatonin, cortisol and antidiuretic hormone. Questionnaires revealed a high prevalence of subjectively poorer sleep quality in individuals with SCI compared with able-bodied controls. Conclusions: There are significant differences between groups with SCI and able-bodied controls. SCI objectively and subjectively markedly affects an individual's sleep.

Noninvasive Ventilation and Spinal Cord Injury

Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at increased risk of respiratory complications during wake and sleep. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is commonly associated with SCI and requires an individualized approach to its management. Respiratory control plays a key role in the pathogenesis of SDB in cervical SCI. Noninvasive ventilation plays an important role in the management of respiratory complications in individuals with SCI acutely and in chronic phases. Positive airway pressure treatment may be effective in eliminating SDB and improving sleepiness symptoms, but adherence to treatment is poor and effect on long-term outcomes is questionable.

Buspirone decreases susceptibility to hypocapnic central sleep apnea in chronic SCI patients

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a risk factor for central sleep apnea (CSA). Previous studies in animal models with SCI have demonstrated a promising recovery in respiratory and phrenic nerve activity post-injury induced by the systemic and local administration of serotonin receptor agonists such as Buspirone and Trazodone. Human trials must be performed to determine whether individuals with SCI respond similarly. We hypothesized that Buspirone and Trazodone would decrease the propensity to hypocapnic CSA during sleep. We studied eight males with chronic SCI and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) [age: 48.8 ± 14.2 yr; apnea-hypopnea index (AHI): 44.9 ± 23.1] in a single-blind crossover design. For 13 days, participants were randomly assigned either Buspirone (7.5-15 mg twice daily), Trazodone (100 mg), or a placebo followed by a 14-day washout period before crossing over to the other interventions. Study nights included polysomnography and induction of CSA using a noninvasive ventilation protocol. We assessed indexes of SDB, CO₂ reserve, apneic threshold (AT), controller gain (CG), plant gain (PG), and ventilatory parameters. CO₂ reserve was significantly widened on Buspirone (-3.6 ± 0.9 mmHg) compared with both Trazodone (-2.5 ± 1.0 mmHg, P = 0.009) and placebo (-1.8 ± 1.5 mmHg, P < 0.001) but not on Trazodone vs. placebo (P = 0.061). CG was significantly decreased on Buspirone compared with placebo (1.8 ± 0.4 vs. 4.0 ± 2.0 L/(mmHg·min), P = 0.025) but not on Trazodone compared with placebo (2.5 ± 1.1 vs. 4.0 ± 2.0 L/(mmHg·min); P = 0.065). There were no significant differences for PG, AT, or any SDB indexes (AHI, obstructive apnea index, central apnea index, oxygen desaturation index). The administration of Buspirone decreased the susceptibility to induced hypocapnic central apnea by reducing chemosensitivity and increasing CO₂ reserve in chronic SCI patients.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This research study is novel as it is the first study in a humans that we are aware of that demonstrates the ability of Buspirone to increase CO₂ reserve and hence decrease susceptibility to hypocapnic central apnea in patients with spinal cord injury.

Effect of acetazolamide on susceptibility to central sleep apnea in chronic spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an established risk factor for central sleep apnea. Acetazolamide (ACZ), a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, has been shown to decrease the frequency of central apnea by inducing mild metabolic acidosis. We hypothesized that ACZ would decrease the propensity to develop hypocapnic central apnea and decrease the apneic threshold. We randomized 16 participants with sleep-disordered breathing (8 SCI and 8 able-bodied controls) to receive ACZ (500 mg twice a day for 3 days) or placebo with a 1-wk washout before crossing over to the other drug arm. Study nights included polysomnography and determination of the hypocapnic apneic threshold and CO₂ reserve using noninvasive ventilation. For participants with spontaneous central apnea, CO₂ was administered until central apnea was abolished, and CO₂ reserve was measured as the difference in end-tidal Pco₂ (PETCO2) before and after. Steady-state plant gain, the response of end-tidal Pco₂ to changes in ventilation, was calculated from PETCO2 and V̇e ratio during stable sleep. Controller gain, the response of ventilatory drive to changes in end-tidal Pco₂, was defined as the ratio of change in V̇e between control and hypopnea to the ΔCO₂ during stable non-rapid eye movement sleep. Treatment with ACZ for three days resulted in widening of the CO₂ reserve (-4.0 ± 1.2 vs. -3.0 ± 0.7 mmHg for able-bodied, -3.4 ± 1.9 vs. -2.2 ± 2.2 mmHg for SCI, P < 0.0001), and a corresponding decrease in the hypocapnic apnea threshold (28.3 ± 5.2 vs. 37.1 ± 5.6 mmHg for able-bodied, 29.9 ± 5.4 vs. 34.8 ± 6.9 mmHg for SCI, P < 0.0001), respectively. ACZ significantly reduced plant gain when compared with placebo (4.1 ± 1.7 vs. 5.4 ± 1.8 mmHg/L min for able-bodied, 4.1 ± 2.0 vs. 5.1 ± 1.7 mmHg·L^-1·min for SCI, P < 0.01). Acetazolamide decreased apnea-hypopnea index (28.8 ± 22.9 vs. 39.3 ± 24.1 events/h; P = 0.05), central apnea index (0.6 ± 1.5 vs. 6.3 ± 13.1 events/h; P = 0.05), and oxyhemoglobin desaturation index (7.5 ± 8.3 vs. 19.2 ± 15.2 events/h; P = 0.01) compared with placebo. Our results suggest that treatment with ACZ decreases susceptibility to hypocapnic central apnea due to decreased plant gain. Acetazolamide may attenuate central sleep apnea and improve nocturnal oxygen saturation, but its clinical utility requires further investigation in a larger sample of patients.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Tetraplegia is a risk factor for central sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and is associated with narrow CO₂ reserve (a marker of susceptibility to central apnea). Treatment with high-dose acetazolamide for 3 days decreased susceptibility to hypocapnic central apnea and reduced the frequency of central respiratory events during sleep. Acetazolamide may play a therapeutic role in alleviating central SDB in patients with cervical spinal cord injury, but larger clinical trials are needed.

Respiratory Involvement in Patients with Neuromuscular Diseases: A Narrative Review

Respiratory muscle weakness is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs). Respiratory involvement in NMDs can manifest broadly, ranging from milder insufficiency that may affect only sleep initially to severe insufficiency that can be life threatening. Patients with neuromuscular diseases exhibit very often sleep-disordered breathing, which is frequently overlooked until symptoms become more severe leading to irreversible respiratory failure necessitating noninvasive ventilation (NIV) or even tracheostomy. Close monitoring of respiratory function and sleep evaluation is currently the standard of care. Early recognition of sleep disturbances and initiation of NIV can improve the quality of life and prolong survival. This review discusses the respiratory impairment during sleep in patients with NMDs, the diagnostic tools available for early recognition of sleep-disordered breathing and the therapeutic options available for overall respiratory management of patients with NMDs.

Sleep-disordered breathing is associated with brain vascular reactivity in spinal cord injury

OBJECTIVE

To determine the population-level odds of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) experiencing fatigue and sleep apnea, to elucidate relationships with level and severity of injury, and to examine associations with abnormal cerebrovascular responsiveness.

METHODS

We used population-level data, meta-analyses, and primary physiologic assessments to provide a large-scale integrated assessment of sleep-related complications after SCI. Population-level and meta-analyses included more than 60,000 able-bodied individuals and more than 1,800 individuals with SCI. Physiologic assessments were completed on a homogenous sample of individuals with cervical SCI and matched controls. We examined the prevalence of (1) self-reported chronic fatigue, (2) clinically identified sleep apnea, and 3) cerebrovascular responsiveness to changing CO₂.

RESULTS

Logistic regression revealed a 7-fold elevated odds of chronic fatigue after SCI (odds ratio [OR] 7.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.5-16.2), and that fatigue and trouble sleeping are correlated with the level and severity of injury. We further show that those with SCI experience elevated risk of clinically defined sleep-disordered breathing in more than 600 individuals with SCI (pooled OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.3-7.5). We confirmed that individuals with SCI experience a high rate of clinically defined sleep apnea using primary polysomnography assessments. We then provide evidence using syndromic analysis that sleep-disordered breathing is a factor strongly associated with impaired cerebrovascular responsiveness to CO₂ in patients with SCI.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with SCI have an increased prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing, which may partially underpin their increased risk of stroke. There is thus a need to integrate sleep-related breathing examinations into routine care for individuals with SCI.

Sleep disordered breathing induced by cervical spinal cord injury and effect of adenosine A1 receptors modulation in rats

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is very common after spinal cord injury (SCI). The present study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of adenosine A1 receptor blockade (8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine, DPCPX) on SDB in a rodent model of SCI. We hypothesized that SCI induced via left hemisection of the second cervical segment (C2Hx) results in SDB. We further hypothesized that blockade of adenosine A1 receptors following C2Hx would reduce the severity of SDB. In the first experiment, adult male rats underwent left C2Hx or sham (laminectomy) surgery. Unrestrained whole body plethysmography (WBP) and implanted wireless electroencephalogram (EEG) were used for assessment of breathing during spontaneous sleep and for the scoring of respiratory events at the acute (~1 wk), and chronic (~6 wk) time points following C2Hx. During the second experiment, the effect of oral administration of adenosine A1 receptor antagonist (DPCPX, 3 times a day for 4 days) on SCI induced SDB was assessed. C2Hx animals exhibited a higher apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) compared with the sham group, respectively (35.5 ± 12.6 vs. 19.1 ± 2.1 events/h, P < 0.001). AHI was elevated 6 wk following C2Hx (week 6, 32.0 ± 5.0 vs. week 1, 42.6 ± 11.8 events/h, respectively, P = 0.12). In contrast to placebo, oral administration of DPCPX significantly decreased AHI 4 days after the treatment (159.8 ± 26.7 vs. 69.5 ± 8.9%, P < 0.05). Cervical SCI is associated with the development of SDB in spontaneously breathing rats. Adenosine A1 blockade can serve as a therapeutic target for SDB induced by SCI.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The two key novel findings of our study included that 1) induced cervical spinal cord injury results in sleep-disordered breathing in adult rats, and 2) oral therapy with an adenosine A1 receptor blockade using DPCPX is sufficient to significantly reduce apnea-hypopnea index following induced cervical spinal cord injury.

Central Sleep Apnea: a Brief Review

Purpose

The purpose of this review is to discuss the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment, including areas of controversy and uncertainty.

Recent Findings

Central apnea may be due to hypoventilation or to hypocapnia following hyperventilation. The occurrence of central apnea initiates a cascade of events that perpetuates breathing instability, recurrent central apnea and upper airway narrowing. In fact, breathing instability and upper airway narrowing are key elements of central and obstructive apnea. Clinically, central apnea is noted in association with obstructive sleep apnea, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, cerebrovascular accidents tetraplegia, and chronic opioid use.Management strategy for central apnea aim to eliminate abnormal respiratory events, stabilize sleep and alleviate the underlying clinical condition. Positive pressure therapy (PAP) remains a standard therapy for central as well as obstructive apnea. Other treatment options include adaptive-servo ventilation (ASV), supplemental oxygen, phrenic nerve stimulation, and pharmacologic therapy. However, ASV is contraindicated in patients with central sleep apnea who had heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, owing to increased mortality in this population.

Summary

There are several therapeutic options for central apnea. Randomized controlled studies are needed to ascertain the long-term effectiveness of individual, or combination, treatment modalities in different types of central apnea.

Positive airway pressure for sleep-disordered breathing in acute quadriplegia: a randomised controlled trial

RATIONALE

Highly prevalent and severe sleep-disordered breathing caused by acute cervical spinal cord injury (quadriplegia) is associated with neurocognitive dysfunction and sleepiness and is likely to impair rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether 3 months of autotitrating CPAP would improve neurocognitive function, sleepiness, quality of life, anxiety and depression more than usual care in acute quadriplegia.

METHODS AND MEASUREMENTS

Multinational, randomised controlled trial (11 centres) from July 2009 to October 2015. The primary outcome was neurocognitive (attention and information processing as measure with the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task). Daytime sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale) was a priori identified as the most important secondary outcome.

MAIN RESULTS

1810 incident cases were screened. 332 underwent full, portable polysomnography, 273 of whom had an apnoea hypopnoea index greater than 10. 160 tolerated at least 4 hours of CPAP during a 3-day run-in and were randomised. 149 participants (134 men, age 46±34 years, 81±57 days postinjury) completed the trial. CPAP use averaged 2.9±2.3 hours per night with 21% fully 'adherent' (at least 4 hours use on 5 days per week). Intention-to-treat analyses revealed no significant differences between groups in the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (mean improvement of 2.28, 95% CI -7.09 to 11.6; p=0.63). Controlling for premorbid intelligence, age and obstructive sleep apnoea severity (group effect -1.15, 95% CI -10 to 7.7) did not alter this finding. Sleepiness was significantly improved by CPAP on intention-to-treat analysis (mean difference -1.26, 95% CI -2.2 to -0.32; p=0.01).

CONCLUSION

CPAP did not improve Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task scores but significantly reduced sleepiness after acute quadriplegia.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ACTRN12605000799651.

Impact Of Spinal Cord Injury On Sleep: Current Perspectives

Sleep disorders are commonly encountered in people living with spinal cord injury (SCI). Primary sleep disorders such as sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), sleep-related movement disorders, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, and insomnia disorder are common conditions after SCI but remain under-recognized, underdiagnosed and therefore remain untreated for a majority of patients. Sleep disturbances in people living with SCI are associated with significant impairments of daytime function and quality of life. Previous reviews have described findings related mainly to SDB but have not examined the relationship between other sleep disorders and SCI. This narrative review examines various sleep abnormalities and related functional and physical impairments in people living with SCI. It discusses new evidence pertaining to management, highlights existing limitations in the literature and recommends future directions for research.

Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Spinal Cord Injury: A State-of-the-Art Review

Individuals living with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D) are at increased risk for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), with a prevalence that is three- to fourfold higher than the general population. The main features of SDB, including intermittent hypoxemia and sleep fragmentation, have been linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes including nocturnal hypertension in patients with SCI/D. The relationship between SDB and SCI/D may be multifactorial in nature given that level and completeness of injury can affect central control of respiration and upper airway collapsibility differently, promoting central and/or obstructive types of SDB. Despite the strong association between SDB and SCI/D, access to diagnosis and management remains limited. This review explores the role of SCI/D in the pathogenesis of SDB, poor sleep quality, the barriers in diagnosing and managing SDB in SCI/D, and the alternative approaches and future directions in the treatment of SDB, such as novel pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments.

Melatonin and cortisol in individuals with spinal cord injury

STUDY OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate circadian rhythm and sleep complaints in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) as determined by diurnal saliva melatonin and cortisol as well as activity measurements and subjective sleep quality.

METHODS

Fourteen patients with cervical SCI (cSCI), six patients with thoracic SCI (tSCI) and eight able-bodied controls all underwent two consecutive weeks wearing a wrist actigraph in addition to filling out a sleep diary. During one 24-h period, cortisol and melatonin were measured at 4-h intervals. Furthermore, participants' sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and their overall daytime sleepiness was assessed using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).

RESULTS

The cSCI group demonstrated lower melatonin levels compared with the tSCI group and the controls at the 24:00 and 04:00 time points. Moreover, at one time point the tSCI group had a higher cortisol level than the cSCI group and the controls. In addition, baseline systolic blood pressure and oxygen saturation were significantly lower in the cSCI group. No differences were found in activity measurements or self-reported sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with cSCI demonstrate reduced melatonin secretion compared with tSCI individuals, but not in other circadian measures. This supports an involvement of melatonergic cervical fibers associated with the cervical lesion.

Diagnostic accuracy of a two-stage model for detecting obstructive sleep apnoea in chronic tetraplegia

BACKGROUND

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is highly prevalent in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Polysomnography (PSG) is the gold-standard diagnostic test for OSA, however PSG is expensive and frequently inaccessible, especially in SCI. A two-stage model, incorporating a questionnaire followed by oximetry, has been found to accurately detect moderate to severe OSA (MS-OSA) in a non-disabled primary care population. This study investigated the accuracy of the two-stage model in chronic tetraplegia using both the original model and a modified version for tetraplegia.

METHODS

An existing data set of 78 people with tetraplegia was used to modify the original two-stage model. Multivariable analysis identified significant risk factors for inclusion in a new tetraplegia-specific questionnaire. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses of the questionnaires and oximetry established thresholds for diagnosing MS-OSA. The accuracy of both models in diagnosing MS-OSA was prospectively evaluated in 100 participants with chronic tetraplegia across four international SCI units.

RESULTS

Injury completeness, sleepiness, self-reported snoring and apnoeas were included in the modified questionnaire, which was highly predictive of MS-OSA (ROC area under the curve 0.87 (95% CI 0.79 to 0.95)). The 3% oxygen desaturation index was also highly predictive (0.93 (0.87-0.98)). The two-stage model with modified questionnaire had a sensitivity and specificity of 83% (66-93) and 88% (75-94) in the development group, and 77% (65-87) and 81% (68-90) in the validation group. Similar results were demonstrated with the original model.

CONCLUSION

Implementation of this simple alternative to full PSG could substantially increase the detection of OSA in patients with tetraplegia and improve access to treatments.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Results, ACTRN12615000896572 (The Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry) and pre-results, NCT02176928 (clinicaltrials.gov).

Sleep Disordered Breathing and Spinal Cord Injury: Challenges and Opportunities

Purpose of review

This paper focuses on the sleep disorders in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI/D), particularly mechanism of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and challenges in diagnosis and management. Based on a review of recent literatures and studies the paper summarizes some main challenges with respect to management of SDB in patients with SCI; and what are the responsible mechanisms of disease? What are the barriers in diagnosing and treating SDB using standard treatment such as positive airway pressure (CPAP)?.

Recent findings

Previous studies have shown that most SCI/D patients have SDB with heterogeneity in prevalence mainly related to using different definition or methods of diagnosing SDB, while recent studies using new definition of SDB based on recommended criteria from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and also include the data on effect of SCI/D level on prevalence and describe different type of SDB. Furthermore, recent data describes simplified method of diagnosing SDB by using a combination of home sleep apnea testing and transcutaneous CO2 monitoring. Finally, emerging data has been pointing at strong relationship between SDB and cardiovascular disease including nocturnal hypertension in patients with SCI/D.

Summary

The findings indicate that early testing for SDB and associated cardiovascular disease in patients with SCI is recommended and could be beneficial in reduced the high morbidity and mortality in this group of patients with disability. In addition, studies on treatment of other sleep disorders in SCI/D are not available to inform clinical decision making. Understanding the pathophysiology of sleep disorders in SCI/D is critical for the development of new effective therapies. This review provides evidence for best practices; highlights new discoveries for the diagnosis and management of sleep disorders in SCI/D, and discuss challenges and future directions.

Spinal cord injury is associated with enhanced peripheral chemoreflex sensitivity

Sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB) is prevalent in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), but the exact mechanism is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether peripheral chemoreceptors activity is enhanced in individuals with chronic SCI compared to abled‐bodied control subjects using CO₂ and O₂ chemical tests. In protocol (1) 30 subjects (8 cervical [cSCI], 7 thoracic [tSCI] and 15 able‐bodied [AB]) were studied to determine the ventilatory response to hyperoxia during wakefulness in the supine position. In protocol (2) 24 subjects (6 cSCI, 6 tSCI, and 12 AB subjects) were studied to determine the ventilatory response to a single breath of CO₂ (SBCO₂). The chemoreflex response to SBCO₂ was calculated as ∆V_E/∆CO₂ (L/min/mmHg). The ventilatory response to hyperoxia was defined as the % change in V_T following acute hyperoxia compared to preceding baseline. During hyperoxia SCI subjects had a significant decrease in V_T and V_E (63.4 ± 21.7% and 63.1 ± 23.0% baseline, respectively, P < 0.05) compared to AB (V_T: 87.1 ± 14.3% and V_E: 91.38 ± 15.1% baseline, respectively, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between cSCI and tSCI in the V_T or V_E during hyperoxia (P = NS). There was no significant correlation between AHI and V_E% baseline (r = −0.28) in SCI and AB (n = 30). SCI participants had a greater ventilatory response to an SBCO₂ than AB (0.78 ± 0.42 L/min/mmHg vs. 0.26 ± 0.10 L/min/mmHg, respectively, P < 0.05). Peripheral ventilatory chemoresponsiveness is elevated in individuals with chronic SCI compared to able‐bodied individuals.

Neuropsychological Function in Patients With Acute Tetraplegia and Sleep Disordered Breathing

Study objectives

To investigate the relationship between apnea severity and neuropsychological function in patients with acute-onset tetraplegia and sleep disordered breathing.

Methods

Polysomnography and neuropsychological testing were performed on 104 participants (age M = 45.60, SD = 16.38; 10 female) across 11 international sites, 2 months postinjury (M = 60.70 days, SD = 39.48). Neuropsychological tests assessed attention, information processing, executive function, memory, learning, mood, and quality of life.

Results

More severe sleep apnea was associated with poorer attention, information processing, and immediate recall. Deficits did not extend to memory. Higher preinjury intelligence and being younger reduced the associations with sleep disordered breathing; however, these protective factors were insufficient to counter the damage to attention, immediate recall, and information processing associated with sleep disordered breathing.

Conclusions

These data suggest that new spinal cord injury may function as a model of "acute sleep apnea" and that more widespread sleep apnea-related deficits, including memory, may only be seen with longer exposure to apnea. These findings have important implications for functioning and skill acquisition during rehabilitation and, as such, highlight the importance of sleep health following tetraplegia.

Sleep apnea: a review of diagnostic sensors, algorithms, and therapies

While public awareness of sleep related disorders is growing, sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) remains a public health and economic challenge. Over the last two decades, extensive controlled epidemiologic research has clarified the incidence, risk factors including the obesity epidemic, and global prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as well as establishing a growing body of literature linking OSA with cardiovascular morbidity, mortality, metabolic dysregulation, and neurocognitive impairment. The US Institute of Medicine Committee on Sleep Medicine estimates that 50-70 million US adults have sleep or wakefulness disorders. Furthermore, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) estimates that more than 29 million US adults suffer from moderate to severe OSA, with an estimated 80% of those individuals living unaware and undiagnosed, contributing to more than $149.6 billion in healthcare and other costs in 2015. Although various devices have been used to measure physiological signals, detect apneic events, and help treat sleep apnea, significant opportunities remain to improve the quality, efficiency, and affordability of sleep apnea care. As our understanding of respiratory and neurophysiological signals and sleep apnea physiological mechanisms continues to grow, and our ability to detect and process biomedical signals improves, novel diagnostic and treatment modalities emerge.

OBJECTIVE

This article reviews the current engineering approaches for the detection and treatment of sleep apnea.

APPROACH

It discusses signal acquisition and processing, highlights the current nonsurgical and nonpharmacological treatments, and discusses potential new therapeutic approaches.

MAIN RESULTS

This work has led to an array of validated signal and sensor modalities for acquiring, storing and viewing sleep data; a broad class of computational and signal processing approaches to detect and classify SAS disease patterns; and a set of distinctive therapeutic technologies whose use cases span the continuum of disease severity.

SIGNIFICANCE

This review provides a current perspective of the classes of tools at hand, along with a sense of their relative strengths and areas for further improvement.

Sleep-disordered breathing in heart failure: facts and numbers

Sleep‐disordered breathing has a high prevalence in the general population, but is especially prominent in patients with heart failure (HF). HF and sleep‐disordered breathing share a bidirectional relationship, with sleep‐disordered breathing being both cause and effect of poor cardiac functioning. The high inter‐individual variability of symptom presentation can impede the clinical diagnostic process. Polysomnography is the gold‐standard method of diagnosing sleep‐disordered breathing. Therapy of sleep‐disordered breathing should always consist of optimizing the treatment of the underlying disorder of HF. Additional therapeutic measures include continuous positive airway pressure ventilation therapy. New therapeutic options using neurostimulation are yielding promising results; however, long‐term benefits still need to be confirmed.

Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Neuromuscular Disease: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges

Normal sleep-related rapid eye movement sleep atonia, reduced lung volumes, reduced chemosensitivity, and impaired airway dilator activity become significant vulnerabilities in the setting of neuromuscular disease. In that context, the compounding effects of respiratory muscle weakness and disease-specific features that promote upper airway collapse or cause dilated cardiomyopathy contribute to various sleep-disordered breathing events. The reduction in lung volumes with neuromuscular disease is further compromised by sleep and the supine position, exaggerating the tendency for upper airway collapse and desaturation with sleep-disordered breathing events. The most commonly identified events are diaphragmatic/pseudo-central, due to a decrease in the rib cage contribution to the tidal volume during phasic rapid eye movement sleep. Obstructive and central sleep apneas are also common. Noninvasive ventilation can improve survival and quality of sleep but should be used with caution in the context of dilated cardiomyopathy or significant bulbar symptoms. Noninvasive ventilation can also trigger sleep-disordered breathing events, including ineffective triggering, autotriggering, central sleep apnea, and glottic closure, which compromise the potential benefits of the intervention by increasing arousals, reducing adherence, and impairing sleep architecture. Polysomnography plays an important diagnostic and therapeutic role by correctly categorizing sleep-disordered events, identifying sleep-disordered breathing triggered by noninvasive ventilation, and improving noninvasive ventilation settings. Optimal management may require dedicated hypoventilation protocols and a technical staff well versed in the identification and troubleshooting of respiratory events.

Reduced respiratory neural activity elicits a long-lasting decrease in the CO2 threshold for apnea in anesthetized rats

Two critical parameters that influence breathing stability are the levels of arterial pCO₂ at which breathing ceases and subsequently resumes - termed the apneic and recruitment thresholds (AT and RT, respectively). Reduced respiratory neural activity elicits a chemoreflex-independent, long-lasting increase in phrenic burst amplitude, a form of plasticity known as inactivity-induced phrenic motor facilitation (iPMF). The physiological significance of iPMF is unknown. To determine if iPMF and neural apnea have long-lasting physiological effects on breathing, we tested the hypothesis that patterns of neural apnea that induce iPMF also elicit changes in the AT and RT. Phrenic nerve activity and end-tidal CO₂ were recorded in urethane-anesthetized, ventilated rats to quantify phrenic nerve burst amplitude and the AT and RT before and after three patterns of neural apnea that differed in their duration and ability to elicit iPMF: brief intermittent neural apneas, a single brief "massed" neural apnea, or a prolonged neural apnea. Consistent with our hypothesis, we found that patterns of neural apnea that elicited iPMF also resulted in changes in the AT and RT. Specifically, intermittent neural apneas progressively decreased the AT with each subsequent neural apnea, which persisted for at least 60min. Similarly, a prolonged neural apnea elicited a long-lasting decrease in the AT. In both cases, the magnitude of the AT decrease was proportional to iPMF. In contrast, the RT was transiently decreased following prolonged neural apnea, and was not proportional to iPMF. No changes in the AT or RT were observed following a single brief neural apnea. Our results indicate that the AT and RT are differentially altered by neural apnea and suggest that specific patterns of neural apnea that elicit plasticity may stabilize breathing via a decrease in the AT.

Sleep disordered breathing in spinal cord injury: A systematic review

CONTEXT

Spinal cord injury commonly results in neuromuscular weakness that impacts respiratory function. This would be expected to be associated with an increased likelihood of sleep-disordered breathing.

OBJECTIVE

(1) Understand the incidence and prevalence of sleep disordered breathing in spinal cord injury. (2) Understand the relationship between injury and patient characteristics and the incidence of sleep disordered breathing in spinal cord injury. (3) Distinguish between obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea incidence in spinal cord injury. (4) Clarify the relationship between sleep disordered breathing and stroke, myocardial infarction, metabolic dysfunction, injuries, autonomic dysreflexia and spasticity incidence in persons with spinal cord injury. (5) Understand treatment tolerance and outcome in persons with spinal cord injury and sleep disordered breathing.

METHODS

Extensive database search including PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Web of Science.

RESULTS

Given the current literature limitations, sleep disordered breathing as currently defined is high in patients with spinal cord injury, approaching 60% in motor complete persons with tetraplegia. Central apnea is more common in patients with tetraplegia than in patients with paraplegia.

CONCLUSION

Early formal sleep study in patients with acute complete tetraplegia is recommended. In patients with incomplete tetraplegia and with paraplegia, the incidence of sleep-disordered breathing is significantly higher than the general population. With the lack of correlation between symptoms and SDB, formal study would be reasonable. There is insufficient evidence in the literature on the impact of treatment on morbidity, mortality and quality of life outcomes.

Sleep onset hypoventilation in chronic spinal cord injury

A high prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) after spinal cord injury (SCI) has been reported in the literature; however, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We sought to determine the effect of the withdrawal of the wakefulness drive to breathe on the degree of hypoventilation in SCI patients and able-bodied controls. We studied 18 subjects with chronic cervical and thoracic SCI (10 cervical, 8 thoracic SCI; 11 males; age 42.4 ± 17.1 years; body mass index 26.3 ± 4.8 kg/m²) and 17 matched able-bodied subjects. Subjects underwent polysomnography, which included quantitative measurement of ventilation, timing, and upper airway resistance (R_UA) on a breath-by-breath basis during transitions from wake to stage N1 sleep. Compared to able-bodied controls, SCI subjects had a significantly greater reduction in tidal volume during the transition from wake to N1 sleep (from 0.51 ± 0.21 to 0.32 ± 0.10 L vs. 0.47 ± 0.13 to 0.43 ± 0.12 L; respectively, P < 0.05). Moreover, end-tidal CO₂ and end-tidal O₂ were significantly altered from wake to sleep in SCI (38.9 ± 2.7 mmHg vs. 40.6 ± 3.4 mmHg; 94.1 ± 7.1 mmHg vs. 91.2 ± 8.3 mmHg; respectively, P < 0.05), but not in able-bodied controls (39.5 ± 3.2 mmHg vs. 39.9 ± 3.2 mmHg; 99.4 ± 5.4 mmHg vs. 98.9 ± 6.1 mmHg; respectively, P = ns). R_UA was not significantly altered in either group. In conclusion, individuals with SCI experience hypoventilation at sleep onset, which cannot be explained by upper airway mechanics. Sleep onset hypoventilation may contribute to the development SDB in the SCI population.

Simplified Approach to Diagnosing Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Nocturnal Hypercapnia in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a strategy of home-based testing to diagnose sleep-disordered breathing and nocturnal hypercapnia in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).

DESIGN

Case series.

SETTING

Referral center.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults with C1-T6 SCI (N=81). Individuals were eligible if ≥ 18 years old, with SCI of ≥ 3 months' duration, living within 100 miles of the study site, and not meeting exclusion criteria. Of the 161 individuals recruited from the SCI Model System database who were not enrolled, reasons were not interested in participating, change of location, prior positive pressure ventilation use, or medical contraindication. Ten individuals did not complete the study.

INTERVENTIONS

Performance of an unsupervised home sleep apnea test combined with transcutaneous partial pressure of carbon dioxide/oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry monitoring.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing and nocturnal hypercapnia. Clinical and physiological variables were examined to determine which, if any, correlate with the severity of sleep-disordered breathing.

RESULTS

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was found in 81.3% of individuals, central sleep apnea (CSA) was found in 23.8%, and nonspecific hypopnea events, where respiratory effort was too uncertain to classify, were present in 35%. Nonspecific hypopnea events correlated strongly with CSA but weakly with OSA, suggesting that conventional sleep apnea test scoring may underestimate central/neuromuscular hypopneas. Nocturnal hypercapnia was present in 28% and oxygen desaturation in 18.3%. Neck circumference was the primary predictor for OSA, whereas baclofen use and obstructive apnea/hypopnea index weakly predicted CSA. Awake transcutaneous partial pressure of carbon dioxide and CSA were only marginally associated with nocturnal hypercapnia.

CONCLUSIONS

Unsupervised home sleep apnea testing with transcutaneous capnography effectively identifies sleep-disordered breathing and nocturnal hypercapnia in individuals with SCI.

Tetraplegia is associated with enhanced peripheral chemoreflex sensitivity and ventilatory long-term facilitation

Cardiorespiratory plasticity induced by acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) may contribute to recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI). We hypothesized that patients with cervical SCI would demonstrate higher minute ventilation (V̇e) following AIH compared with subjects with thoracic SCI and able-bodied subjects who served as controls. Twenty-four volunteers (8 with cervical SCI, 8 with thoracic SCI, and 8 able-bodied) underwent an AIH protocol during wakefulness. Each subject experienced 15 episodes of isocapnic hypoxia using mixed gases of 100% nitrogen (N2), 8% O2, and 40% CO2 to achieve oxygen saturation ≤90% followed by room air (RA). Measurements were obtained before, during, and 40 min after AIH to obtain ventilation and heart rate variability data [R-R interval (RRI) and low-frequency/high-frequency power (LF/HF)]. AIH results were compared with those of sham studies conducted in RA during the same time period. Individuals with cervical SCI had higher V̇e after AIH compared with able-bodied controls (117.9 ± 23.2% vs. 97.9 ± 11.2%, P < 0.05). RRI decreased during hypoxia in all individuals (those with cervical SCI, from 1,009.3 ± 65.0 ms to 750.2 ± 65.0 ms; those with thoracic SCI, from 945.2 ± 65.0 ms to 674.9 ± 65.0 ms; and those who were able-bodied, from 949 ± 75.0 to 682.2 ± 69.5 ms; P < 0.05). LH/HF increased during recovery in individuals with thoracic SCI and those who were able-bodied (0.54 ± 0.22 vs. 1.34 ± 0.22 and 0.67 ± 0.23 vs. 1.82 ± 0.23, respectively; P < 0.05) but remained unchanged in the group with cervical SCI. Our conclusion is that patients with cervical SCI demonstrate ventilatory long-term facilitation following AIH compared with able-bodied controls. Heart rate responses to hypoxia are acutely present in patients with cervical SCI but are absent during posthypoxic recovery.

Upper airway mechanics in chronic spinal cord injury during sleep

Sleep-disordered breathing has been shown to be more prevalent in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) than the general population. The pathogenesis of increased sleep-disordered breathing in individuals with chronic SCI is unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine whether SCI level affects upper airway (UA) collapsibility and neuromuscular compensatory responses to obstruction. Twenty-four participants (8 cervical SCI, 8 thoracic SCI, and 8 controls) were studied. The ventilation, timing, UA resistance, and pharyngeal collapsibility, defined by critical closing pressure, were determined during non-rapid eye movement sleep. Inspiratory duty cycle and minute ventilation were observed in response to increasing severity of UA obstruction. Compared with controls, both cervical and thoracic SCI participants demonstrated elevated passive critical closing pressure (0.5 ± 2.2 and 0.9 ± 2.7 vs. −2.5 ± 1.0 cmH2O, respectively; P = 0.01). No difference in UA resistance was observed between groups. Cervical and thoracic SCI individuals exhibited a similar degree of hypoventilation and dose-dependent increase in inspiratory duty cycle in response to UA obstruction. Passive UA collapsibility is increased in both cervical and thoracic SCI compared with control. The neuromuscular compensatory responses to UA obstruction during sleep are preserved in chronic SCI and are independent of the level of injury.