Key result
Patients with postpolio syndrome and bulbar involvement had a higher mean sleep apnea index (11.09) compared to those without bulbar involvement (5.88), with significantly more central apnea.
Observational (n=10)
Absolute Event Rate: 11.09% vs 5.88%
In patients with postpolio syndrome, bulbar involvement is associated with more frequent sleep apnea, particularly central apnea during NREM sleep.
Bulbar involvement may flag postpolio patients for sleep apnea evaluation; cross-sectional data leave open whether this warrants practice change pending prospective confirmation.
We studied sleep architecture and sleep apnea pattern in patients with postpolio syndrome (PPS). Ten patients with clinical signs of PPS underwent polysomnographic recording for two consecutive nights. Although sleep efficiency and proportions of sleep stages were within the normal range, sleep architecture was disrupted owing to sleep apnea. Patients with bulbar involvement had more frequent sleep apnea (mean sleep apnea index, 11.09) than patients without (apnea index, 5.88). The former also had significantly more central apnea, which occurred more commonly during non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) than rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, than those without bulbar signs. This finding suggests reduction in forebrain control of compromised bulbar respiratory centers during NREM sleep in PPS.
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Dean et al. (1998) conducted an observational in Postpolio syndrome (PPS) (n=10). Bulbar involvement vs. No bulbar involvement was evaluated on Mean sleep apnea index. Patients with postpolio syndrome and bulbar involvement had a higher mean sleep apnea index (11.09) compared to those without bulbar involvement (5.88), with significantly more central apnea.
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