Central periodic breathing during sleep in 74 patients with acute ischemic stroke - Neurogenic and cardiogenic factors

Objectives : The aims of our study were 1) to better characterize central periodic breathing during sleep (CPBS) and its clinical relevance in acute stroke, 2) to better define the role of brain damage in its pathogenesis. Methods : We included 74 consecutive patients admitted within 96 hours after stroke onset. Stroke severity at admission, stroke outcome at discharge and stroke topography were assessed. ECG and transesophageal echocardiography were performed. Nocturnal breathing was assessed with an ambulatory device the first night after admission. CPBS severity was represented as absolute time and percentage of recording time. Results : Age was 63 ± 13 (25-82), 49 (66 %) were male. Thirty (41 %) patients showed CPBS during ≥ 10 % and 7 (9 %) during ≥ 50 % of recording time. CPBS severity was associated with age (p = 0.017), stroke severity (p = 0.008), ECG abnormalities (p = 0.005) and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (p < 0.0001). CPBS severity was higher in patients with extensive hemispheric strokes (n = 6, p < 0.0001), and lower in patients with partial strokes involving the left insula (n = 5, p < 0.0001) and the mesencephalon (n = 5, p = 0.002). Conclusions : CPBS is frequent in acute ischemic stroke and is associated with older age, stroke severity/extension, and lower left ventricular function. The lower occurrence of CPBS in left insular and mesencephalic stroke suggests a major role of distinct brain areas in the modulation of respiratory phenomena accompanying acute strok

Association of age with incidence and timing of recurrence after microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation

Objective: Recurrent lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is the most frequent reason for reoperation after lumbar microdiscectomy. While several risk factors for recurrent LDH have been well-described, the effect of age on recurrence remains unclear, especially concerning the timing of recurrent LDH. Methods: From a prospective registry, we identified all patients who underwent tubular microdiscectomy for LDH. Recurrent LDH was defined as reoperation for LDH at the same index level and side. The associations among age and incidence of recurrent LDH as well as on time to recurrent LDH were statistically evaluated using multivariable analysis of covariance, linear regression, and Cox proportional hazards modelling. Results: Of the 3013 patients who underwent surgery for LDH, 166 (5.5%) had to undergo reoperation due to LDH recurrence. Uni- and multivariable analysis revealed no influence of age on the incidence of recurrent LDH (both p > 0.05). Linear regression indicated earlier reoperation in older patients, both with (β = -0.248) and without (β = -0.374) correction for confounders (both p < 0.05). An additional survival analysis found that patients aged over 35 years had recurrent LDH significantly earlier (hazard ratio 0.617, p = 0.013). Conclusion: In an analysis of a large prospective database of patients undergoing microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation, we found that younger patients do not have a higher reoperation probability than their older counterparts, even after correcting for multiple confounders. However, older patients tend to experience recurrent LDH significantly earlier after the index surgery compared to younger patients

Influence of dynamic preoperative body mass index changes on patient-reported outcomes after surgery for degenerative lumbar spine disease

Psychological factors demonstrably and often massively influence outcomes of degenerative spine surgery, and one could hypothesize that preoperative weight loss may correlate with motivation and lifestyle adjustment, thus leading to potentially enhanced outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the effect of preoperative weight loss or gain, respectively, on patient-reported outcomes after lumbar spine surgery. Weight loss was defined as a BMI decrease of ≤ − 0.5 kg/m$^{2}$ over a period of at least 1 month, and weight gain as a BMI increase of ≥ 0.5 kg/m$^{2}$ in the same time period, respectively. The primary endpoint was set as the achievement of the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) in the ODI at 1 or 2 years postoperatively. A total of 154 patients were included. Weight loss (odds ratio (OR): 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.52 to 2.80) and weight gain (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.43 to 2.55) showed no significant influence on MCID achievement for ODI compared to a stable BMI. The same results were observed when analysing long-term NRS-BP and NRS-LP. Regression analysis showed no correlation between BMI change and PROM change scores for any of the three PROMs. Adjustment for age and gender did not alter results. Our findings suggest that both preoperative weight loss and weight gain may have no measurable effect on long-term postoperative outcome compared to a stable BMI. Weight loss preoperatively—as a potential surrogate sign of patient motivation and lifestyle change—may thus not influence postoperative outcomes

Excessive daytime sleepiness in idiopathic restless legs syndrome: characteristics and evolution under dopaminergic treatment

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Whereas insomnia is frequent in restless legs syndrome (RLS), little is known about daytime sleepiness. We studied a series of 27 consecutive patients with idiopathic RLS in order to identify the characteristics and evolution of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) under dopaminergic treatment. METHODS: Patients were assessed by clinical examination, questionnaires and video-polysomnography (PSG). Sleepy patients, as defined by Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) >10, were also assessed by the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). We excluded RLS patients with other sleep-wake disorders, in particular chronic sleep deprivation. RESULTS: Mean age was 56 years, the mean International RLS Study Group Rating Scale score was 24 at baseline. Ten (37%) of the 27 patients reported EDS. RLS patients with sleepiness had a higher amount of total sleep time (p = 0.029) on PSG and a mean sleep latency of 6.4 min on MSLT. No other differences regarding clinical or polysomnographic parameters were found. RLS severity improved in all patients under dopaminergic treatment (p = 0.001); this was also the case for the ESS score in sleepy patients (p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: In our series of RLS patients, EDS was common, characterized by longer sleep (PSG) and reduced sleep latencies on MSLT. Under dopaminergic treatment, both RLS severity and ESS improved

Central periodic breathing during sleep in 74 patients with acute ischemic stroke - Neurogenic and cardiogenic factors

OBJECTIVES : The aims of our study were 1) to better characterize central periodic breathing during sleep (CPBS) and its clinical relevance in acute stroke, 2) to better define the role of brain damage in its pathogenesis. METHODS : We included 74 consecutive patients admitted within 96 hours after stroke onset. Stroke severity at admission, stroke outcome at discharge and stroke topography were assessed. ECG and transesophageal echocardiography were performed. Nocturnal breathing was assessed with an ambulatory device the first night after admission. CPBS severity was represented as absolute time and percentage of recording time. RESULTS : Age was 63 +/- 13 (25-82), 49 (66 %) were male. Thirty (41 %) patients showed CPBS during >/= 10 % and 7 (9 %) during >/= 50 % of recording time. CPBS severity was associated with age (p = 0.017), stroke severity (p = 0.008), ECG abnormalities (p = 0.005) and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (p < 0.0001). CPBS severity was higher in patients with extensive hemispheric strokes (n = 6, p < 0.0001), and lower in patients with partial strokes involving the left insula (n = 5, p < 0.0001) and the mesencephalon (n = 5, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS : CPBS is frequent in acute ischemic stroke and is associated with older age, stroke severity/extension, and lower left ventricular function. The lower occurrence of CPBS in left insular and mesencephalic stroke suggests a major role of distinct brain areas in the modulation of respiratory phenomena accompanying acute stroke

Effects of continuous positive airway pressure on systemic inflammation in patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea: a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) has been associated with cardiovascular disease in epidemiological and observational studies. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the treatment of choice for OSAS, but the impact of this intervention on systemic inflammation involved in the atherosclerotic process remains unclear. METHODS: 100 men with moderate-severe OSAS were randomised to therapeutic (n = 51) or subtherapeutic (n = 49) CPAP treatment for 4 weeks to investigate the effects of active treatment on inflammatory markers such as highly sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin (IL)6, interferon gamma (IFNgamma) and anti-inflammatory adiponectin. RESULTS: 4 weeks of therapeutic CPAP did not significantly change blood levels of hsCRP compared with the subtherapeutic control group (difference between median changes -0.24 mg/l (95% CI -0.88 to +0.24); p = 0.30). Plasma levels of IL6 and IFNgamma did not change significantly following therapeutic compared with subtherapeutic CPAP (difference between median changes +0.52 and -0.07 pg/ml (95% CI -0.72 to +1.94 and -0.81 to +0.44); p = 0.45 and p = 0.82, respectively). Furthermore, 4 weeks of therapeutic CPAP did not significantly change levels of adiponectin in plasma compared with the subtherapeutic control group (difference between median changes +0.05 pg/ml (95% CI -0.36 to +0.47); p = 0.84). If patients with hsCRP values above 8 mg/l at baseline were excluded, differences between the changes in hsCRP, IL6, IFNgamma and adiponectin after 4 weeks of CPAP were smaller, and again not statistically different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: 4 weeks of CPAP treatment has no beneficial effect on blood markers of inflammation and adiponectin in patients with moderate-severe obstructive sleep apnoea