Lung function impairment is not associated with the severity of acute coronary syndrome but is associated with a shorter stay in the coronary care unit.

Background: Previous population-based studies have suggested that lung function impairment (LFI) could be associated with an increase in the mortality of cardiovascular events.

Methods: We evaluated the association between LFI and the severity and short-term prognosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). LFI was established through presence of a forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and/or a forced vital capacity (FVC) less than 80% of predicted.

Conventional Polysomnography Is Not Necessary for the Management of Most Patients with Suspected Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Noninferiority, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Rationale: Home respiratory polygraphy may be a simpler alternative to in-laboratory polysomnography for the management of more symptomatic patients with obstructive sleep apnea, but its effectiveness has not been evaluated across a broad clinical spectrum.

Objectives: To compare the long-term effectiveness (6 mo) of home respiratory polygraphy and polysomnography management protocols in patients with intermediate-to-high sleep apnea suspicion (most patients requiring a sleep study).

Methods: A multicentric, noninferiority, randomized controlled trial with two open parallel arms and a cost-effectiveness analysis was performed in 12 tertiary hospitals in Spain.

Predictors of obstructive sleep apnoea in patients admitted for acute coronary syndrome.

Identifying undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients in cardiovascular clinics could improve their management. Aiming to build an OSA predictive model, a broad analysis of clinical variables was performed in a cohort of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.Sociodemographic, anthropometric, life-style and pharmacological variables were recorded.

Effect of Patient Sex on the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Newly Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Admitted by an Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background: The cardiovascular consequences of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) differ by sex. We hypothesized that sex influences the severity of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients with OSA. OSA was defined as an apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI)>15 events·h-1.

Impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on the Levels of Placental Growth Factor (PlGF) and Their Value for Predicting Short-Term Adverse Outcomes in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background: Placental growth factor (PlGF) induces angiogenesis and promotes tissue repair, and plasma PlGF levels change markedly during acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Currently, the impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients with AMI is a subject of debate. Our objective was to evaluate the relationships between PlGF levels and both the severity of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and short-term outcomes after ACS in patients with and without OSA.

Mid- and Long-Term Efficacy of Non-Invasive Ventilation in Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome: The Pickwick's Study.

The Pickwick project was a prospective, randomized and controlled study, which addressed the issue of obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), a growing problem in developed countries. OHS patients were divided according to apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥30 and <30 determined by polysomnography. The group with AHI≥30 was randomized to intervention with lifestyle changes, noninvasive ventilation (NIV) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP); the group with AHI<30 received NIV or lifestyle changes.

Exploring the spectral information of airflow recordings to help in pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome diagnosis.

This work aims at studying the usefulness of the spectral information contained in airflow (AF) recordings in the context of Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) in children. To achieve this goal, we defined two spectral bands of interest related to the occurrence of apneas and hypopneas. We characterized these bands by extracting six common spectral features from each one.

Statistical and nonlinear analysis of oximetry from respiratory polygraphy to assist in the diagnosis of Sleep Apnea in children.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) is a sleep related breathing disorder that has important consequences in the health and development of infants and young children. To enhance the early detection of OSAHS, we propose a methodology based on automated analysis of nocturnal blood oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) from respiratory polygraphy (RP) at home. A database composed of 50 SpO(2) recordings was analyzed.

Effect of continuous positive airway pressure on the incidence of hypertension and cardiovascular events in nonsleepy patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a randomized controlled trial.

Context: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line treatment for patients with symptomatic obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, its indication for all patients with sleep-disordered breathing, regardless of daytime symptoms, is unclear.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of CPAP treatment on the incidence of hypertension or cardiovascular events in a cohort of nonsleepy patients with OSA.

Visual analogical well-being scale for sleep apnea patients: validity and responsiveness : a test for clinical practice.

Introduction: Health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) tests used in sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) are time-consuming, complicating their application in clinical practice. The objective was to examine the validity and responsiveness of a simple visual analogical well-being scale (VAWS) for the clinical use.

Method: The subjects proceed from a cohort of SAHS patients treated with CPAP for 12 weeks.

Long-term effect of continuous positive airway pressure in hypertensive patients with sleep apnea.

Rationale: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the current treatment for patients with symptomatic obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Its use for all subjects with sleep-disordered breathing, regardless of daytime symptoms, is unclear.

Objectives: This multicenter controlled trial assesses the effects of 1 year of CPAP treatment on blood pressure (BP) in nonsymptomatic, hypertensive patients with OSA.

A controlled trial of noninvasive ventilation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations.

Purpose: This prospective, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study tested the hypothesis that noninvasive positive pressure ventilation reduces the need for endotracheal intubation in patients hospitalized in a pulmonary ward because of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Materials And Methods: Seventy-five consecutive patients with exacerbation (pH, 7.31 +/- 0.

[Differences in clinical and polysomnographic variables between male and female patients with sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome].

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical, anthropometric, and polysomnographic characteristics of a broad group of patients with sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome according to sex.

Patients And Methods: The study, conducted in 6 Spanish university hospitals, included consecutive patients attended from 2003 through 2005 with an apnea-hypopnea index greater than 5. Groups were formed according to sex and then stratified into age subgroups of younger (< or = 45 years) and older patients (> 45 years) for further comparison.

Daytime sleepiness and polysomnography in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

Background: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is the major complaint in subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). However, EDS is not universally present in all patients with OSAS. The mechanisms explaining why some patients with OSAS complain of EDS whereas others do not are unknown.

Cardiac function after CPAP therapy in patients with chronic heart failure and sleep apnea: a multicenter study.

Background And Purpose: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an effective treatment for sleep apnea (SA), although the evidence for improving chronic heart failure (CHF) is inconclusive. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of CPAP treatment on the left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) among other cardiological variables in a randomized, multicenter, placebo (sham-CPAP)-controlled study.

Methods: After the selection procedure, 60 patients with CHF with LVEF<45% and SA with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)>10/h were evaluated at baseline, and after 3 months of treatment with optimal CPAP or sham-CPAP.

Alternative methods of titrating continuous positive airway pressure: a large multicenter study.

Standard practice for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment in sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) requires pressure titration during attended laboratory polysomnography. However, polysomnographic titration is expensive and time-consuming. The aim of this study was to ascertain, in a large sample of CPAP-naive patients, whether CPAP titration performed by an unattended domiciliary autoadjusted CPAP device or with a predicted formula was as effective as CPAP titration performed by full polysomnography.