25May

The incidence of sleep-disordered breathing – including sleep apnea – is around 16 per cent, according to a survey.
Sleep apnea is a disorder where the person stops breathing, momentarily, many times during the night. Often they snore as well. It’s the most common form of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB).

Researchers for the Cleveland Family Study did sleep studies on a group of participants over 18, on two occasions five years apart. They recorded the number of times breathing stopped during sleep and the frequency of episodes of slower than normal breathing. This indicated that around 16 per cent of the group had SDB. By studying participant characteristics, they were able to pinpoint some risk factors for SDB. So, up to age 50, men are far more at risk than women, and then the risk is roughly equal. A high waist-to-hip circumference ratio is another risk factor, as is high cholesterol. Body mass index and age also increase the risk of SDB. Interestingly, these are very similar to the risks for heart disease – maybe further research will clarify the link further.

Google Alerts – sleep apnea

Swollen tonsils and adenoids are a major cause of sleep apnea in children, and while removing them did not improve attention, memory or learning for these kids, it did help them with sleep, behavior and quality of life, a new study finds.

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes abnormal pauses in breathing during sleep. “There was a greater improvement in sleep with the surgery, and those improvements were likely responsible for the improvement in daytime functioning, energy levels and behavior,” said lead researcher Dr. Susan Redline, a professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School. Earlier studies have found that sleep apnea is associated with mental problems, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Redline noted. Swollen tonsils and adenoids block a person’s airways and restrict breathing, which is why they are the major cause of sleep apnea in children, Redline explained.

Sleep apnea causes a drop in oxygen levels, which some experts have thought may have a harmful effect on memory and learning, she said. “We thought that by opening the airway we might be able to see greater improvement in these areas,” Redline explained. Removing the tonsils and adenoids, in a procedure called an adenotonsillectomy, however, did not change memory and learning, she noted.

“There have been parents who are worried about their children snoring and sleep apnea, and have felt nervous that if they didn’t rapidly do the surgery they might be exposing their child to poor school performance,” Redline said.

This study, however, suggests that if a parent wanted to choose a more conservative approach of watchful waiting, there is no mental decline, she stated. “Children who are having behavior problems, are feeling sleepy, are waking up un-refreshed in the morning and dragging during the day are much more likely to get a benefit from early surgery,” Redline said.

The report was published online May 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine, to coincide with its planned presentation at the American Thoracic Society annual meeting in Philadelphia.

“This is another validation of adenotonsillectomy for the treatment of sleep apnea in children,” said Dr. Sandeep Dave, an otolaryngologist at Miami Children’s Hospital. “We advise and recommend surgery for sleep apnea.” As for whether mental function is harmed by sleep apnea, “I think the verdict is still out whether or not there are changes in attention-deficit [ADHD],” Dave said.

Google Alerts – sleep apnea

Redirect Notice

Google Alerts – sleep apnea

Christopher J. Lettieri, MD

DisclosuresMay 24, 2013

Google Alerts – sleep apnea

New Report Available: Sleep Apnea – Pipeline Review, H1 2013

Recently published research from Global Markets Direct, “Sleep Apnea – Pipeline Review, H1 2013″, is now available at Fast Market Research

[ClickPress, Fri May 24 2013] Global Markets Direct’s, ‘Sleep Apnea – Pipeline Review, H2 2013′, provides an overview of the indication’s therapeutic pipeline. This report provides information on the therapeutic development for Sleep Apnea, complete with latest updates, and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects. It also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Sleep Apnea. Sleep Apnea – Pipeline Review, Half Year is built using data and information sourced from Global Markets Direct’s proprietary databases, Company/University websites, SEC filings, investor presentations and featured press releases from company/university sites and industry-specific third party sources, put together by Global Markets Direct’s team.

Note*: Certain sections in the report may be removed or altered based on the availability and relevance of data for the indicated disease.

Full Report Details at
- http://www.fastmr.com/prod/594868_sleep_apnea_pipeline_review_h1_2013.aspx?afid=301

Scope

* A snapshot of the global therapeutic scenario for Sleep Apnea.
* A review of the Sleep Apnea products under development by companies and universities/research institutes based on information derived from company and industry-specific sources.
* Coverage of products based on various stages of development ranging from discovery till registration stages.
* A feature on pipeline projects on the basis of monotherapy and combined therapeutics.
* Coverage of the Sleep Apnea pipeline on the basis of route of administration and molecule type.
* Key discontinued pipeline projects.
* Latest news and deals relating to the products.

Reasons to Get this Report

* Identify and understand important and diverse types of therapeutics under development for Sleep Apnea.
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* Develop and design in-licensing and out-licensing strategies by identifying prospective partners with the most attractive projects to enhance and expand business potential and scope.
* Modify the therapeutic portfolio by identifying discontinued projects and understanding the factors that drove them from pipeline.

About Fast Market Research

Fast Market Research is an online aggregator and distributor of market research and business information. We represent the world’s top research publishers and analysts and provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available.

For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at http://www.fastmr.com or call us at 1.800.844.8156.

You may also be interested in these related reports:

- Sleep Apnea Global Clinical Trials Review, H1, 2013
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea – Pipeline Review, H1 2012
- Sleep Apnea – Pipeline Review, H1 2012
- Sleep Disorders – Pipeline Review, H1 2013
- Schizophrenia – Pipeline Review, H1 2013

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Google Alerts – sleep apnea

A new app is in making that can help you end the problem of snoring. A new phone and laptop app is in the process of development by Prof Kevin McGuigan, from Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, which will record and analyze sounds while sleeping and predict that if the person is having that kind of snoring which is known as sleep apnea.

This project of app is one of the 62 researcher awards announced by Sean Sherlock, who is from Minister of State for Research and Innovation. The investment in this project has been done by Science Foundation Ireland in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland which amounts to _6.9 million.

Director General of science foundation Prof Mark Ferguson said that all the projects are supported under the program called Tida (Technology Innovation Development Award).  He further added that the common thing that all the projects have is, “they are ideas that have the potential to become products and generate spin-out companies. All have great potential relevance and application”.

Ferguson also said that the great interest among research community can be seen with this fact that 131 applications were made out of which 62 were selected.

Google Alerts – sleep apnea

Children with moderate obstructive sleep apnea who undergo adenotonsillectomy showed greater reductions in symptoms and behavioral issues compared to non-surgical patients, according to a landmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Trial, the first randomized study of sleep apnea surgery in children, involved 464 pediatric patients, nearly half of whom were overweight or obese, assigned to surgical treatment or watchful waiting with supportive care groups.

Children who underwent adenotonsillectomy, the surgical removal of adenoid and tonsils, were less sleepy during the day, had less trouble sleeping at night, got along better with other kids, kept up with daily tasks, exhibited less mood swings or angry outbursts, and worried less.

However, children in both the surgical and non-surgical groups showed no significant difference in the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, a test administered by licensed psychometricians to measure performances in attention and executive functioning — planning, strategizing, organizing, setting goals and paying attention to important details.

Adenotonsillectomy is the primary treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, the researchers note, with more than 500,000 kids undergoing the procedure annually. But watchful waiting is also a safe treatment option, says Carole Marcus, MD, the study’s lead author and a sleep specialist and director of the sleep center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She believes it’s a reasonable treatment option for children with less severe sleep apnea, as long as physicians monitor the condition to ensure it doesn’t worsen.

Daniel Cook

Google Alerts – sleep apnea

The hospital has submitted a proposal to the government for procuring a Polysomnography and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine for treating sleep apnea cases. Sleep apnea is a disorder caused by complete cessation of breath during sleep. It is common among obese people and people who take drugs, suffer from depression, have diabetes and cardiac problems.

A senior doctor of GMCH said, “We receive one to two sleep apnea patients every month, but due to lack facility for treatment, we send them to private hospitals. But now, we are going to start the treatment in our hospital.”

He said detection of sleep apnea is very rare because people tend to take snoring as a common thing. “At times, it may lead to certain serious diseases. Sleep apnea can increase the risk of hypertension, loss of fertility, behavioural change, abnormality, loss of concentration and early dementia. This is common among males, usually aged above 50. But now, children and youngsters are also facing this problem,” he added.

“The CPAP machine is usually used for persons having severe obstructive sleep apnea. It helps a person breathe easily. The cost of the treatment is also lesser at GMCH compared to private hospitals,” he added. At present, a few private hospitals in the city have sleep labs where the disorder is being treated for Rs 8,000.

Google Alerts – sleep apnea

2MM | On 23, May 2013

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Image: PD

1. Early adenotonsillectomy for children with obstructive sleep apnea was associated with improvements in symptoms, polysomnographic tests, behavior, and quality of life. 

2. Black and obese children treated with adenotonsillectomy showed lower rates of normalization of polysomnographic findings, but still had greater improvement compared to the watchful waiting group. 

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent) 

Study Rundown: Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is one of the major risk factors for childhood obstructive sleep apnea, which is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes later in life. The primary treatment is adenotonsillectomy, but the outcomes of this procedure compared to conservative treatment (watchful waiting) have not been clearly evaluated. This study demonstrated that early adenotonsillectomy in school aged children with obstructive sleep apnea is associated with improvements in symptoms, polysomnographic findings, behavior, and quality of life. Because of the higher prevalence in these groups, subgroup analysis was conducted with black and obese children, demonstrating lower polysomnographic normalization. The study was limited by its numerous exclusion criteria, which prevents these results from being generalized to a wider population. Many of the secondary outcomes measures relied on the caretakers’ and teachers’ subjective assessment of behavior and quality of life, which could potentially introduce a source of bias. Finally, the follow-up period was 7 months, which could be too short to fully evaluate a response to the surgery.

Click to read the study in the New England Journal of Medicine

Click to read an accompanying editorial

Relevant Reading: Outcome of Adenotonsillectomy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Obese and Normal-Weight Children

In-Depth [randomized controlled trial]:This multicenter study examined 464 children between 5 and 9 years of age with obstructive sleep apnea. Exclusion criteria included prolonged hemoglobin desaturation, treatment with ADHD medication, BMI z-score greater than 3, and coexisting conditions that could exacerbate the obstructive sleep apnea. Eligible patients were randomized to either receive early adenotonsillectomy, or watchful waiting.  Baseline characteristics were similar between both groups. Follow-up evaluation was performed at 7 months. 

There was no significant improvement in attention and executive function from baseline, as measured by Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment. However, secondary measures of behavior and quality of life, as measured by the Conners’ Rating Scale and BRIEF score, were significantly improved in the adenotonsillectomy group, as were reduction of symptoms. Polysomnographic findings were normalized in 79% of children in the adenotonsillectomy group, compared to 46% in the watchful waiting group. In a subgroup analysis of black children and obese children, symptoms and behavior were improved more in the adenotonsillectomy group than the watchful waiting group, but both populations showed lower rates of polysomnographic normalization compared to nonobese children and children of other races (79% and 39% in black children; 67% and 29% in obese children).

By James Jiang and Allen Ho

More from this author: Aggressive resuscitation may increase morbidity in blunt trauma patients, Increased inflammatory markers found in nonsurviving pediatric burn patients, Drainage for hemopericardium is safe and reduces hospital stay

© 2013 2minutemedicine.com. All rights reserved. No works may be reproduced without written consent from 2minutemedicine.com. Disclaimer: We present factual information directly from peer reviewed medical journals. No post should be construed as medical advice and is not intended as such by the authors or by 2minutemedicine.com. PLEASE SEE A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IN YOUR AREA IF YOU SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE OF ANY SORT. Content is produced in accordance with fair use copyrights solely and strictly for the purpose of teaching, news and criticism. No benefit, monetary or otherwise, is realized by any participants or the owner of this domain. 

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Google Alerts – sleep apnea

Tips for sound sleep

CAFFEINE

Avoid caffeine after 2 p.m. Caffeine has a half-life of six hours in your body; six hours after your last sip, half of it is still in your body. Limit yourself to 300 mg (about three cups of coffee) per day, all before 2 p.m.

ALCOHOL

Avoid alcohol three hours before bed. Alcohol can cause you to wake up in REM sleep every 90 minutes. And never take sleeping pills with alcohol.

SMOKING

Quit smoking. Nicotine is a stronger stimulant than caffeine. It can worsen snoring and may cause life-threatening sleep apnea.

EXERCISE

Exercise between 5 and 7 p.m. This is the magical time when exercise’s biological benefits can help you get better sleep. For good sleep, get at least 20 minutes of exercise five days a week – but never within three hours of going to bed.

REST

If you are tired during the day, take a nap, but limit it to 15 to 20 minutes.

STAY ACTIVE

Stay active. People who work, socialize and have hobbies stay more mentally healthy and find it easier to sleep.

ELECTRONICS

If you have to use electronics within an hour of going to bed, wear light-blocking glasses to ensure better sleep.

DISTRACTIONS

Adjust your bedroom: At night set your thermostat at 65 degrees; use 45-watt to 60-watt light bulbs; keep pre-sleep noise to 60 decibels or below; decorate in muted colors or neutrals.

MATTRESS

If your mattress is about 10 years old, it’s time to replace it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s soft or firm as long as it supports your contact points, especially your back. For an innerspring mattress, a higher coil count is better. If you share a bed, you’ll need a queen- or king-size model.

PILLOW

Your pillow matters, too. Pick one that supports your head and neck. (Maas has a line of pillows called Sleep for Success!; you’ll find them at Bed, Bath & Beyond.)

SHEETS

Use 100 percent cotton bedsheets – they’re absorbent and breathable.

LIST

If stress is part of your problem, make a “worry list” every night. Writing down worries or problems can actually help you let go of them and get to sleep.

STRETCH

Three yoga stretches that can help you relax are the “child’s pose,” “table pose” and “corpse pose.”

4 essentials for good sleep

Determine your personal sleep quotient: To arrive at how much sleep you need each night, aim for eight hours of sleep. If you get eight hours of sleep but you still feel tired, add 15 to 30 minutes to your sleep each night for a week. Keep adding time until you are able to wake up feeling rested. (Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep.)

Set a schedule: Go to sleep at the same time every night. Regularity is key to stabilizing your biological clock and, over time, can help you get by on a little less sleep.

An uninterrupted block: Get the sleep you need in a continuous block of time.

Pay attention to makeup sleep: Your wake-sleep ration should be 2:1; for every two hours you are awake you need one hour of sleep. If you get less than that, make up for it by going to bed earlier the next night. (Sleeping later or catching up on the weekend won’t work.)

Google Alerts – sleep apnea