Venous blood gases in the assessment of respiratory failure in patients undergoing sleep studies: a randomized study.

Study Objectives: Venous blood gases (VBGs) are not consistently considered suitable surrogates for arterial blood gases (ABGs) in assessing acute respiratory failure due to variable measurement error. The physiological stability of patients with chronic ventilatory failure may lead to improved agreement in this setting.

Methods: Adults requiring ABGs for sleep or ventilation titration studies had VBGs drawn before or after each ABG, in a randomized order.

A randomized controlled trial of a multi-dimensional intervention to improve CPAP use and self-efficacy.

Objectives: To assess the utility of a tailored intervention program to improve continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) use and self-efficacy in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methods: 81 participants (mean age 52.1 ± 11.

A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Lung Volume Recruitment in Adults with Neuromuscular Disease.

Clinical care guidelines advise that lung volume recruitment (LVR) be performed routinely by people with neuromuscular disease (NMD) to maintain lung and chest wall flexibility and slow lung function decline. However, the evidence base is limited, and no randomized controlled trials of regular LVR in adults have been published. To evaluate the effect of regular LVR on respiratory function and quality of life in adults with NMD.

Rapidly and slowly progressive neuromuscular disease: differences in pulmonary function, respiratory tract infections and response to lung volume recruitment therapy (LVR).

Introduction: Reduced lung volumes are a hallmark of respiratory muscle weakness in neuromuscular disease (NMD). Low respiratory system compliance (C) may contribute to restriction and be amenable to lung volume recruitment (LVR) therapy. This study evaluated respiratory function and the immediate impact of LVR in rapidly progressive compared to slowly progressive NMD.

External proficiency testing improves inter-scorer reliability of polysomnography scoring.

Purpose: This study evaluated whether or not polysomnography (PSG) inter-scorer reliability (ISR) across sleep centres could be improved by external proficiency testing (EPT), or by EPT combined with method alignment training.

Methods: Experienced scorers form 15 sleep centres were randomised to the following: (1) a control group, (2) a group that received a self-directed intervention of EPT reports (EPT) or (3) a group that received an active intervention of method alignment training and EPT reports (EPT). Respiratory, arousal and sleep scoring ISR from sixteen PSG fragments were compared between groups across time.