Short-Term Effects of a Multidisciplinary Residential Rehabilitation Program on Perceived Risks, Confidence Toward Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment, and Self-Efficacy in a Sample of Individuals Affected by Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is the standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome. However, optimizing adherence to CPAP therapy of individuals remains very challenging for clinicians because of the role played by the psychological components. In this study, we verified the changes in cognitions and beliefs of individuals after a four-week multidisciplinary residential rehabilitation program targeting the adaptation to CPAP therapy for OSA syndrome.

Psychological Well-Being in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Associated With Obesity: The Relationship With Personality, Cognitive Functioning, and Subjective and Objective Sleep Quality.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome severely affects psychological well-being. This syndrome frequently occurs in obesity; however, no previous study has investigated the level of psychological well-being in the case of OSA syndrome associated with obesity. In this work, we assessed the level of psychological well-being in fifty-two individuals affected by OSA syndrome and obesity through the Psychological General Well-Being Index.

Sleep microstructure in Parkinson's disease: cycling alternating pattern (CAP) as a sensitive marker of early NREM sleep instability.

Background: Sleep disorders are frequent in Parkinson's disease (PD). Apart from the occurrence of REM behavior disorders, in the early phase of the disease standard sleep macrostructure evaluation was inconclusive.

Objective: We analyzed non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep microstructure (CAP) in a group of PD patients to provide an objective measure of sleep disruption.

Ventilation and its control during incremental exercise in obesity.

Background: In obesity, the addition of mass loading of the chest wall by adipose tissue decreases compliance, but its ventilation does not seem to be a limiting factor to physical performance. Plasma K(+) and lactic acid are considered important determinants of ventilation during exercise. Obesity is characterized by insulin resistance.

Lung function and methacholine responsiveness among adolescents in an air-polluted area.

Background: Outdoor air pollution is hazardous to human pulmonary health. Airway inflammation is an important cause of bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Information is not univocal about the potential effects of prolonged exposure to environmental air pollutants on lung function.

Kinetics of catecholamines and potassium, and heart rate during exercise testing in obese subjects. Heart rate regulation in obesity during exercise.

Background: Obesity is characterised by a marked insulin resistance which involves an abnormal regulation of K(+) uptake and metabolism. Less is known about the effect of physical exercise on K(+) kinetics.

Aim Of The Study: To assess plasma catecholamines and potassium levels and their relationship with cardiac activity during a physical effort up to exhaustion in young obese subjects.