Reduction in the exposure to being out-of-position among car occupants who used a sleeping device.

Background: This study assesses the impact on safety of a system designed to enhance sleep in car passengers. The system holds the head posteriorly and limits its rotation in the sagittal and frontal planes, modifying the occupant's head position. This device may have an influence on the interaction between the occupant and the vehicle restraint systems.

[Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and sleep apneas].

Sleep quality is lower in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than in healthy individuals. Hypoventilation during sleep is the most important cause of hypoxemia and the presence of ventilation/perfusion alterations and reduced functional residual capacity probably also plays a significant role. Although episodes of nocturnal saturation can reasonably be supposed to increase morbidity and mortality in these patients, the diagnostic importance of these desaturations has not been demonstrated.