Quantitative computer‐assisted digital‐imaging upper airway analysis for obstructive sleep apnoea*

This was a prospective study of a new objective method which quantitatively analyses the upper airways in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Video‐nasopharyngoscopic examinations of the upper airways of 45 patients were carried out with an endoscopic calibrator. Images of the upper airway during quiet respiration and Mueller's manoeuvre in erect and supine positions were digitized by computer to generate the actual dimensions of obstructive sites. Measurements by the new method were validated by comparing 90 pairs of videoendoscopic images with upper airway magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements at two identical levels. Quantitative precision is 100% for the retropalatal level and 95.6% for the retrolingual level with a tolerance of 0.5 cm² between the two methods. The absolute mean of the difference between the two methods of measurement is 0.08 cm² at the retropalatal level and 0.18 cm² at the retrolingual level. The agreement between the digital‐imaging videoendoscopic and MRI measurements was 93.3% for the retropalatal level and 95.6% for the retrolingual level. Quantitative computer‐assisted digital imaging is a reliable, cost‐effective clinical method of upper airway evaluation in OSA patients. This method allows us to examine the dynamic and static morphology objectively, measure surgical outcomes of upper airway, opening up new avenues for OSA management.     

The genetics of sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a complex chronic condition that is undoubtedly influenced by multiple factors. Accumulating data suggest that there are strong genetic underpinnings for this condition. It has been estimated that approximately 40% of the variance in the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) may be explained by familial factors. It is likely that genetic factors associated with craniofacial structure, body fat distribution and neural control of the upper airway muscles interact to produce the OSAHS phenotype. Although the role of specific genes that influence the development of OSAHS have not yet been identified, current research in rodents suggests that several genetic systems may be important. In this chapter, we shall first define the OSAHS phenotype, and then review the evidence that suggests an underlying genetic basis of OSAHS, the risk factors for OSAHS that may be inherited, and potential candidate genes.     

手术治疗对阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征患者夜间微觉醒与心率变异的影响

目的:探讨阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(OSAHS)患者微觉醒与心率变异(HRV)的关系及手术后的变化。方法:对54例重度OSAHS患者行手术前后PSG。分析1 h内每个呼吸紊乱相关微觉醒开始前10 s的平均心率(HR)和微觉醒开始后10 s的最高HR比较。同时计算1 h内呼吸紊乱相关微觉醒指数(B-Arl)和脉率升高指数(PRRI)并作相关分析。比较不伴微觉醒事件和伴有微觉醒事件的心率差(△HR)及手术后的影响。结果:微觉醒开始后10 s的最高HR显著高于微觉醒开始前的平均HR,且B-Arl与PRRI呈显著正相关,伴有微觉醒的呼吸事件终止前后△HR显著高于不伴微觉醒的呼吸事件的△HR,手术后患者△HR显著低于术前。结论:B-Arl与夜间HRV相关,提示微觉醒可影响心血管调节功能,频繁的微觉醒是导致心血管疾病的重要原因之一。手术可通过减少微觉醒来减轻患者的心血管损害。     

冠心病伴阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停综合征ICAM-1基因多态性研究

目的:观察ICAM-1基因多态性与冠心病(CHD)伴阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停综合征(OSAS)的相关性,并观察ICAM-1的不同基因型与其血清中ICAM-1含量之间的关系。方法:选择CHD患者(A组)56例、CHD伴OSAS患者(B组)58例、OSAS患者(C组)54例和健康者(对照组)53例。以聚合酶链式反应-限制性酶切长度多态性(RFLP-PCR)对基因组DNA中ICAM-1基因多态性进行分析。结果:①4组间的ICAM-1469C/T3种基因型的分布比例差异有统计学意义,A、B、C组的TT TC型基因型分布频率分别是86.44%、89.67%、90.74%均高于对照组的47.16%(P<0.01)。而对照组的CC基因型分布频率高于其他3组(P<0.01)。②T等位基因在A、B、C3组的分布频率分别是74.11%、71.55%、72.22%,明显高于对照组的35.85%(P<0.01),而A、B、C3组间分布频率差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。③所有组中TT TC基因型的ICAM-1含量均高于CC基因型的含量(P<0.01),B组的黏附分子含量明显高于其他3组。结论:①ICAM-1469C/T的基因多态性与CHD有关联,C-T的等位基因突变可能是CHD的一种遗传易感因素;②OSAS患者存在与CHD患者相同的基因型分布,这种相同的基因多态性分布可能是OSAS与CHD的一种易感的遗传因素;③ICAM-1469C/T的基因多态性与血清中的ICAM-1含量有着明显的相关性,OSAS可能是通过改变血清ICAM-1含量来加重CHD的发展进程。     

实习前护理专科学生睡眠质量及其影响因素

目的:研究实习前护理专科学生(护生)的睡眠质量及影响因素. 方法:采用匹兹堡睡眠质量指数量表(PSQI)和自行设计的调查问卷对193名实习前护生进行调查. 结果:实习前护生睡眠差者占19.7%;PSQI总分为(5.990±2.834)分;影响因素有人际关系复杂、担心实习单位分配不好、学习压力大、家庭经济状况、考试因素、担心饮食和生活习惯明显改变和感到前途渺茫等. 结论:影响实习前护生睡眠质量的因素是多方面的,应采取多种措施改善睡眠,保证身心健康.     

Intermediate hypocretin-1 cerebrospinal fluid levels and typical cataplexy: their significance in the diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1

Study ObjectivesThe diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is based upon the presence of cataplexy and/or a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hypocretin-1/orexin-A level ≤ 110 pg/mL. We determined the clinical and diagnostic characteristics of patients with intermediate hypocretin-1 levels (111–200 pg/mL) and the diagnostic value of cataplexy characteristics in individuals with central disorders of hypersomnolence.MethodsRetrospective cross-sectional study of 355 people with known CSF hypocretin-1 levels who visited specialized Sleep-Wake Centers in the Netherlands. For n = 271, we had full data on cataplexy type (“typical” or “atypical” cataplexy).ResultsCompared to those with normal hypocretin-1 levels (>200 pg/mL), a higher percentage of individuals with intermediate hypocretin-1 levels had typical cataplexy (75% or 12/16 vs 9% or 8/88, p < .05), and/or met the diagnostic polysomnographic (PSG) and Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) criteria for narcolepsy (50 vs 6%, p < .001). Of those with typical cataplexy, 88% had low, 7% intermediate, and 5% normal hypocretin-1 levels (p < .001). Atypical cataplexy was also associated with hypocretin deficiency but to a lesser extent. A hypocretin-1 cutoff of 150 pg/mL best predicted the presence of typical cataplexy and/or positive PSG and MSLT findings.ConclusionIndividuals with intermediate hypocretin-1 levels or typical cataplexy more often have outcomes fitting the PSG and MSLT criteria for narcolepsy than those with normal levels or atypical cataplexy. In addition, typical cataplexy has a much stronger association with hypocretin-1 deficiency than atypical cataplexy. We suggest increasing the NT1 diagnostic hypocretin-1 cutoff and adding the presence of clearly defined typical cataplexy to the diagnostic criteria of NT1. Clinical trial information: This study is not registered in a clinical trial register, as it has a retrospective database design.     

双颌板磁力矫正器治疗阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停综合征临床观察

目的探讨双颌板磁力矫治器对阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停综合征(OSAS)治疗效果。方法对确诊为OSAS的患者口腔内配戴双颌磁力矫治器,并在配戴前后用CT扫描观察患者上气道截面积的变化。结果观察组19例上气道截面积均有增大,最小值从0.80cm2增加到1.71cm2;口咽上部平均值由1.05cm2增加到1.92cm2。结论口腔双颌板磁力矫治器是治疗OSAS的有效方法。     

Activity Subspaces in Medial Prefrontal Cortex Distinguish States of the World

Medial prefrontal cortex (mPfC) activity represents information about the state of the world, including present behavior, such as decisions, and the immediate past, such as short-term memory. Unknown is whether information about different states of the world are represented in the same mPfC neural population and, if so, how they are kept distinct. To address this, we analyze here mPfC population activity of male rats learning rules in a Y-maze, with self-initiated choice trials to an arm end followed by a self-paced return during the intertrial interval (ITI). We find that trial and ITI population activity from the same population fall into different low-dimensional subspaces. These subspaces encode different states of the world: multiple features of the task can be decoded from both trial and ITI activity, but the decoding axes for the same feature are roughly orthogonal between the two task phases, and the decodings are predominantly of features of the present during the trial but features of the preceding trial during the ITI. These subspace distinctions are carried forward into sleep, where population activity is preferentially reactivated in post-training sleep but differently for activity from the trial and ITI subspaces. Our results suggest that the problem of interference when representing different states of the world is solved in mPfC by population activity occupying different subspaces for the world states, which can be independently decoded by downstream targets and independently addressed by upstream inputs.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Activity in the medial prefrontal cortex plays a role in representing the current and past states of the world. We show that during a maze task, the activity of a single population in medial prefrontal cortex represents at least two different states of the world. These representations were sequential and sufficiently distinct that a downstream population could separately read out either state from that activity. Moreover, the activity representing different states is differently reactivated in sleep. Different world states can thus be represented in the same medial prefrontal cortex population but in such a way that prevents potentially catastrophic interference between them.     

The space-time profiles of sleep spindles and their coordination with slow oscillations on the electrode manifold

Sleep spindles are important for sleep quality and cognitive functions, with their coordination with slow oscillations (SOs) potentially organizing cross-region reactivation of memory traces. Here, we describe the organization of spindles on the electrode manifold and their relation to SOs. We analyzed the sleep night EEG of 34 subjects and detected spindles and SOs separately at each electrode. We compared spindle properties (frequency, duration, and amplitude) in slow wave sleep (SWS) and Stage 2 sleep (S2); and in spindles that coordinate with SOs or are uncoupled. We identified different topographical spindle types using clustering analysis that grouped together spindles co-detected across electrodes within a short delay (±300 ms). We then analyzed the properties of spindles of each type, and coordination to SOs. We found that SWS spindles are shorter than S2 spindles, and spindles at frontal electrodes have higher frequencies in S2 compared to SWS. Furthermore, S2 spindles closely following an SO (about 10% of all spindles) show faster frequency, shorter duration, and larger amplitude than uncoupled ones. Clustering identified Global, Local, Posterior, Frontal-Right and Left spindle types. At centro-parietal locations, Posterior spindles show faster frequencies compared to other types. Furthermore, the infrequent SO-spindle complexes are preferentially recruiting Global SO waves coupled with fast Posterior spindles. Our results suggest a non-uniform participation of spindles to complexes, especially evident in S2. This suggests the possibility that different mechanisms could initiate an SO-spindle complex compared to SOs and spindles separately. This has implications for understanding the role of SOs-spindle complexes in memory reactivation.