Sleep related breathing disorders in older men: A search for underlying mechanisms

—The incidence of sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBDs) associated with hemoglobin desaturation was determined by nocturnal polygraphic evaluations in 26 healthy men, aged 55–70 years. Sixteen subjects (62%) had abnormal rates of at least 12 episodes per hour of sleep: 8 had occlusive, and 8 had central apnea or hypopnea. During waking ten of 16 SRBD subjects and only one subject without SRBDs exhibited either an elevated nasopharyngeal airway resistance (n=4) or a reduced ventilatory response to hypercapnia (n=4) and/or hypoxia (n=3). However, these abnormalities were not related to the type or severity of SRBDs, and 6 subjects with SRBDs demonstrated no respiratory defect. We conclude that SRBDs have a very high incidence in older males and are not usually secondary to pulmonary cardiac, neurological, or behavioral disorders. Additionally, we hypothesize that abnormalities in ventilatory control or upper airway resistance contribute to SRBDs, but depression of brain stem reticular formation activity during sleep plays a primary role in these disorders. Factors related to both aging and SRBDs are reviewed. These include reduced chemoreceptor responses, altered steroid hormone metabolism, and use and metabolism of hypnotic drugs and alcohol.     

The Compliance Curve for the Flow Limiting Segments of the Airway

Maximum effort flow-static recoil curves were obtained in 5 healthy subjects breathing air, He/O₂, and SF₆/O₂ mixtures. In 4 of them maximum effort flows corresponded to really maximal flows and their curves were transformed into compliance curves for the flow limiting segments of the airway and analyzed from the point of view of a previously presented lung model (Pedersen and Nielsen 1976). The results showed, that viscosity dependent pressure losses from the alveoli to the flow limiting segments were minimal for air and SF₆/O₂, but not for He/O₂. When viscosity dependent pressure losses could be neglected, then expiration of gases of different densities gave almost identical compliance curves for the flow limiting segments. This supported the applicability of the model. The calculated compliance curves for the flow limiting segments were compared with data from the literature, and the findings indicated that flow limitation during expirations with just maximal flows throughout began in the extrapulmonary airways and moved upstream during the expiration.     

Microenvironmental influences on inflammatory cell differentiation

Airways inflammation involves accumulation of inflammatory cells such as eosinophils, basophils and mast cells, which are derived from progenitors in marrow and blood. The inflamed tissue of the airways, through its structural (epithelium, stroma) and inflammatory cell components, produces an array of cytokines which can influence the differentiation of inflammatory cell progenitors. It is particular mechanism that we have investigated, showing that molecules such as GM-CSF, G-CSF, IL-6, IL-8 and SCF can be produced by airways epithelial cells and fibroblasts in quantities sufficient to induce hemopoietic events, either systemically or locally. Corticosteriods may act therapeutically, at least in part, to block inflammatory cell differentiation, and thus recruitment, into the allergic inflammatory process in the airways.     

Capsaicin-sensitive non-cholinergic excitatory innervation of the guinea-pig tracheobronchial smooth muscle

Field stimulation of the isolated main bronchi of the guinea-pig results in a rapid contraction followed by a sustained contractile response. Tetrodotoxin abolished these effects. The first phase was strongly inhibited by hyoscine, indicating that it was mediated mainly by excitation of cholinergic nerves. The lasting contraction was abolished by capsaicin tachyphylaxis but it was resistant to the effects of hyoscine, hexamethonium or physostigmine. It is suggested that capsaicin-sensitive non-cholinergic nerves have major excitatory effect on the guinea-pig bronchial smooth muscle and there is also evidence for their influence on the trachea.     

鹰嘴豆芽素A通过调节TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3信号通路减轻卵清蛋白诱导哮喘大鼠的气道炎症

[目的] 探讨鹰嘴豆芽素A（BCA）通过调节Toll样受体4（TLR4）/核因子-κB（NF-κB）/NOD样受体蛋白3（NLRP3）信号通路对卵清蛋白（OVA）诱导哮喘大鼠气道炎症的影响。[方法] 将SD大鼠分为对照（CK）组、模型（Model）组、低剂量BCA组（BCA-L组,25 mg/kg）、高剂量BCA组（BCA-H组,100 mg/kg）、地塞米松阳性对照组（Dex组,1 mg/kg）、BCA-H+LPS（TLR4激活剂）组（100 mg/kg+0.1 mg/kg）,每组12只。除CK组,其他组均通过OVA诱导构建哮喘大鼠模型。建模成功24 h后,进行给药处理,给药每日1次,持续10 d。利用动物肺功能测定仪检测大鼠吸气阻力、呼气阻力、肺通气顺应性的变化;吉姆萨（Giemsa）染色检测支气管肺泡灌洗液（BALF）中细胞总数、淋巴细胞数、嗜酸性粒细胞数、中性粒细胞数;酶联免疫吸附剂测定（ELISA）检测BALF中肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β）、干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）水平;苏木精-伊红染色法（HE）染色检测大鼠肺组织病理变化;免疫组化检测大鼠肺组织中嗜酸性粒细胞趋化因子（Eotaxin）表达;蛋白质印迹法（Western Blot）检测大鼠肺组织中TLR4、p-NF-κB p65、NLRP3蛋白表达。[结果] 与CK组比较,Model组大鼠吸气阻力、呼气阻力、BALF中细胞总数、淋巴细胞数、嗜酸性粒细胞数、中性粒细胞数、TNF-α、IL-1β、IFN-γ水平升高,肺组织中的支气管及血管周围炎性细胞浸润明显,肺组织中Eotaxin阳性染色面积百分数、TLR4、p-NF-κB p65、NLRP3蛋白表达升高,肺通气顺应性降低（P<0.05）;与Model组比较,BCA-L组、BCA-H组、Dex组对应指标变化趋势与上述相反（P<0.05）;LPS减弱了高剂量BCA对哮喘大鼠气道炎症的改善作用。[结论] BCA可能通过抑制TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3信号通路减轻OVA诱导哮喘大鼠的气道炎症。     

氧化氮-环磷酸鸟苷通路在支气管哮喘发病机制中的作用

目的 :探讨一氧化氮 -环磷酸鸟苷 (NO- c GMP)通路在支气管哮喘发病机制中的作用。方法 :给 10名健康人、13例缓解期哮喘病人及 2 9例发作期哮喘患者诱导痰液 ,检测诱导痰液中 NO2 - /NO3- 及 c GMP的水平。并对其中 11例哮喘发作期患者应用强的松 (30 mg/d) ,治疗 1周的前后进行自身对照研究。结果 :哮喘发作期患者 NO2 - /NO3-水平显著高于健康对照者 [(4 0 6 .34± 5 12 .18) μmol/L,(71.80± 10 0 .98) μmol/L,P<0 .0 1],应用激素后患者在症状、体征好转的同时 ,NO2 - /NO3-和 c GMP的水平均有明显下降 ,稳定期哮喘患者的 NO2 - /NO3-水平同正常人相比差异无显著性。结论 :NO- c GMP通路可能在哮喘的发病中起重要作用 ,诱导痰 NO2 - /NO3- 的测定是无创伤性检测哮喘气道炎症的一项简便易行的实用方法。     

Apnoeic oxygenation in paediatric anaesthesia: a narrative review

Apnoeic oxygenation refers to oxygenation in the absence of any patient or ventilator effort to move the lungs. This phenomenon was first described in humans in the mid-20th century but has seen renewed interest in the last decade following the demonstration of apnoeic oxygenation with low-flow, and subsequently high-flow, nasal oxygen. This narrative review summarises our understanding of apnoeic oxygenation in the paediatric population. We examine the evidence supporting oxygenation via tracheal tube, modified laryngoscopes and nasal cannulae. The evidence for prolongation of safe apnoea time at induction of anaesthesia is also appraised. We explore the capacity for carbon dioxide clearance, flow rate selection with high-flow nasal oxygen and complications associated with the technique. It remains uncertain whether apnoeic oxygenation in paediatric patients results in a meaningful clinical benefit compared with standard care for outcomes such as the number of tracheal intubation attempts or the incidence of hypoxaemia. In particular, the role of apnoeic oxygenation in paediatric difficult airway management is unclear as this has not been the targeted focus of any published research to date.