Long-Term Survival, Quality of Life, and Quality-Adjusted Survival in Critically Ill Patients With Cancer.

Objectives: To assess the long-term survival, health-related quality of life, and quality-adjusted life years of cancer patients admitted to ICUs.

Design: Prospective cohort.

Setting: Two cancer specialized ICUs in Brazil.

Comparison of full versus short induced-sleep polysomnography for the diagnosis of sleep apnea.

Objectives/hypothesis: Polysomnography (PSG) is the gold-standard method for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, the gap between demand and capacity in performing PSG is a major health-care problem. We sought to validate a short day-time induced sleep for the diagnosis of OSA.

Evaluation of airway obstruction by nasopharyngoscopy: comparison of the Müller maneuver versus induced sleep.

Unlabelled: The use of nasopharyngoscopy during the application of intrathoracic pressure (Müller maneuver) is frequently employed to establish the site of upper airway obstruction. The Müller maneuver, however, is used when the patient is awake and therefore may not correlate with obstruction occurring during sleep.

Aim: To compare the degree of pharyngeal obstruction in the retropalatal and retroglossal regions during the Müller maneuver versus induced sleep using nasopharyngoscopy.

Effects of continuous positive airway pressure on early signs of atherosclerosis in obstructive sleep apnea.

Rationale: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including myocardial infarction and stroke. Atherosclerosis is a key mechanism for these cardiovascular events. Recent cross-sectional studies showed the presence of early signs of atherosclerosis in patients with OSA who were free of comorbidities.

Obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and their interaction on arterial stiffness and heart remodeling.

Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hypertension are independently associated with increased stiffness of large arteries that may contribute to left ventricular (LV) remodeling. We sought to investigate the impact of OSA, hypertension, and their association with arterial stiffness and heart structure.

Design: We studied 60 middle-aged subjects classified into four groups according to the absence or presence of severe OSA with and without hypertension.

Cheyne-Stokes respiration in patients with congestive heart failure: causes and consequences.

Cheyne-Stokes respiration is a form of periodic breathing in which central apneas and hypopneas alternate with periods of hyperventilation, producing a waxing and waning pattern of tidal volume. This review focuses on the causes and consequences of Cheyne-Stokes respiration in patients with congestive heart failure, in whom the prevalence is strikingly high and ranges from 30% to 50%. Several factors have been implicated in the genesis of Cheyne-Stokes respiration, including low cardiac output and recurrent hypoxia.

Short-term effects of nCPAP on nasal mucociliary clearance and mucus transportability in healthy subjects.

Nasal mucociliary clearance is a primary defense mechanism of the upper airways and may be acutely affected by nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP). nCPAP treatment is effective and safe. However, it can cause nasal side effects and contribute to a low compliance to the treatment.

Early signs of atherosclerosis in obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with several cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanisms are not completely understood. Recent studies have shown that OSA is associated with multiple markers of endothelial damage.