Cardiac remodelling in patients with atrial fibrillation and obstructive sleep apnoea.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) can cause left atrial (LA) and left ventricular (LV) remodelling, which is linked to atrial fibrillation (AF). Whether continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can reverse LA and LV remodelling in patients with OSA and paroxysmal AF (PAF) has yet to be studied. We assessed the impact of CPAP treatment on LA and LV size and function in patients with OSA and PAF before and after catheter ablation.

Effect of continuous positive airway pressure therapy on recurrence of atrial fibrillation after pulmonary vein isolation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). Whether treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) reduces AF recurrence after catheter ablation with pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is unknown.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of CPAP treatment on the recurrence and burden of AF after PVI in patients with OSA.

Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Arrhythmia in Atrial Fibrillation and Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Sleep apnea (SA) is highly prevalent in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), and both conditions are associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. To determine the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on AF burden. This open-label, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial included patients with paroxysmal AF and moderate to severe SA (apnea-hypopnea index ⩾15).

Surgery for obstructive sleep apnea in young children: Outcome evaluated by polysomnograhy and quality of life.

Purpose: Hypertrophy of adenoid and tonsils is the most common risk factor for OSA in children, and adenotonsillectomy is considered the first-line treatment. The effect of surgery for OSA in children varies considerably between studies, and few studies have focused on the effect in young children under 5 years of age. Thus, the aim of this study was to: 1) evaluate the effect of surgery for OSA in young children using objective data from polysomnography and parent-reported symptoms using questionnaires, and 2) identify predictors of residual OSA following surgery.

Comparing manual and automatic scoring of sleep monitoring data from portable polygraphy.

We used sleep monitoring data from a study that investigated the prevalence, characteristics, risk factors and type of sleep apnea (SA) in 579 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Most patients were screened for two nights, resulting in 1,043 sleep recordings that each contained data from one night. SA was diagnosed using the Nox T3 portable sleep monitor.

Correlations between disease-specific quality of life and polysomnographic findings in children with obstructive sleep apnea.

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can have a negative impact on quality of life in children. The OSA-18 is a disease-specific quality of life questionnaire for children. The questionnaire has been found to be a poor predictor of OSA diagnosed with polysomnography (PSG), yet OSA-18 scores do markedly improve after adenotonsillectomy.

Obstructive sleep apnea in 2-6 year old children referred for adenotonsillectomy.

Purpose: Adenotonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in children. The indications for surgery are either frequent recurrent throat infections or hypertrophy of the tonsils/adenoid vegetation, which can cause obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). There is disagreement regarding the need for sleep studies before adenotonsillectomy to confirm a diagnosis of OSA.

Treatment of sleep apnea in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: design and rationale of a randomized controlled trial.

Rationale: Atrial fibrillation is associated with increased mortality as well as morbidity. There is strong evidence for an association between atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea. It is not known whether treatment of sleep apnea with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) will reduce the burden of atrial fibrillation.

Risk factors for aggressive recurrent respiratory papillomatosis in adults and juveniles.

In this cohort study we examined whether gender, age at onset, observation time or human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype are risk factors for an aggressive clinical course in Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP). Clinical data from patient records comprised gender, age at onset, date of first endolaryngeal procedure with biopsy, date of last follow-up, total number of endolaryngeal procedures, and complications during the observation period. Disease was defined as juvenile (JoRRP) or adult onset (AoRRP) according to whether the disease was acquired before or after the age of 18.

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis: HPV genotypes and risk of high-grade laryngeal neoplasia.

Patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) in Norway treated between 1987 and 2009 were recruited to this cohort study. They were followed from disease onset and data recorded until January 2012. Here, we describe the distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes, the prevalence of multiple HPV infections, and the risk of high-grade laryngeal neoplasia and respiratory tract invasive carcinoma in a large cohort of patients with RRP.

Obstructive sleep apnea in younger school children with Down syndrome.

Objective: We aimed to assess the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in 8 year old school children with Down syndrome (DS). While the prevalence in otherwise healthy children is below 5%, the prevalence estimates in children with DS are uncertain (30-80%). OSA directly affects cognitive development and school performance.

Associations between speech features and phenotypic severity in Treacher Collins syndrome.

Background: Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS, OMIM 154500) is a rare congenital disorder of craniofacial development. Characteristic hypoplastic malformations of the ears, zygomatic arch, mandible and pharynx have been described in detail. However, reports on the impact of these malformations on speech are few.

Bilateral hypodontia is more common than unilateral hypodontia in children with Down syndrome: a prospective population-based study.

Background: In individuals with simple hypodontia, congenital absence of teeth commonly affects just one tooth of a pair, not both. However, patterns of hypodontia have not been fully explored in children with Down syndrome (DS).

Objective: We describe the frequency and left-right symmetry of hypodontia in the permanent dentition of 8- to 9-year-old Norwegian children with DS.

High cardiovascular risk profile in patients with sleep apnea.

Objectives/hypothesis: Sleep apnea is associated with hypertension and diabetes, putting these patients at high risk for developing cardiovascular disease. The goal of this study was to identify the individual cardiovascular risk profile and to detect premature and undiagnosed disease in patients with various degrees of sleep apnea.

Study Design: Cross-sectional.

Otitis media with effusion in children with in Down syndrome.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of otitis media with effusion (OME) in children with Down syndrome (DS), and the associated to hearing loss at the age of 8 years.

Study Design: A national population based clinical study of all children with DS born in Norway in 2002.

Results: OME was found in 20 out of 52 (38%) children.

Hearing level in children with Down syndrome at the age of eight.

This study examines the prevalence of hearing loss in children with Down syndrome at the age of 8. All children were examined in the ENT-departments of public hospitals in Norway and the study population consisted of children born in Norway in 2002 with Down syndrome. Hearing loss was defined as pure-tone air-conduction reduction by on average more than 25 dB HL in the best hearing ear.

Association between obstructive sleep apnea and health-related quality of life in individuals affected with Treacher Collins syndrome.

Although the relationship between Quality of Life (QoL) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been reported in several studies, little is known about this relationship among individuals affected with Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS). The aim of this study was to examine the associations between obstructive sleep and QoL in TCS patients. Thirty-six individuals with TCS (8-75 years) were invited to participate in expanded medical examinations, including a sleep study, polysomnography, as well as to respond to questionnaires about health related Health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Orofacial functions and oral health associated with Treacher Collins syndrome.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe orofacial features and functions and oral health associated with Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) in relation to the variable phenotypic expression of the condition.

Materials And Methods: The Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S), MHC Questionnaire, MHC Observation chart and clinical examinations of nasal and pharyngeal conditions and chewing and swallowing function were used to assess 19 individuals aged 5-74 years (median 34 years). TCS severity scores were calculated by a clinical geneticist.

Salivary gland pathology as a new finding in Treacher Collins syndrome.

In our clinical experience, individuals with Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) present with more complaints of oral dryness and higher caries activity than seen in the general population. A literature review identified no reports of salivary gland pathology and glandular dysfunction associated with TCS. Twenty-one Norwegian individuals with TCS underwent ultrasound examinations and salivary secretion tests of the submandibular and parotid glands.

Epidemiological aspects of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis: a population-based study.

Objectives/hypothesis: The incidence of genital infections, cervical cancer, and oropharyngeal cancer induced by human papillomaviruses (HPV) is increasing in Western countries. Primarily, this study was conducted to estimate the incidence rate of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) in juveniles and adults in two Norwegian subpopulations for each year between 1987 and 2009. The secondary objective of the study was to investigate whether there are trends in the incidence rates of RRP in the study period similar to what we have seen for HPV-related cancer.

Sleep apnoea headache in the general population.

Background: The objective was to investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of sleep apnoea headache.

Methods: A postal questionnaire was received by 40,000 Norwegians from the general population. A total of 376 and 157 persons with high and low risk of sleep apnoea according to the Berlin Questionnaire had a polysomnography, and a clinical interview and examination by physicians.

Sleep-related groaning: prevalence and characteristics in a cohort of patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea.

Conclusion: Nocturnal groaning has the same prevalence in patients referred for diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing as among other populations referred for sleep studies. The respiratory tracings in these patients have a distinct appearance that is possible to recognize with a polygraphic recording and thereby prevent the pattern from being misdiagnosed as central apneas.

Objectives: The aim of this study was first to estimate the prevalence of groaning in patients referred for diagnosis of sleep-related breathing disorders.

Obstructive sleep apnea in Treacher Collins syndrome.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) among the Norwegian population with Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS). A secondary aim was to establish whether TCS phenotype severity is associated with OSAS severity. A prospective case study design was used.