Article
Outpatient esophagopharyngeal pressure monitoring in patients with sleep related breathing disorders
Search Medline for
Authors
Published: | August 8, 2007 |
---|
Outline
Text
Objectives: Esophagopharyngeal pressure monitoring (EPPM) is helpful in the topodiagnosis of primary snoring, to determine the obstruction level in patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) as well as for the diagnosis of the upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS). We report about our experience with the first portable screening device.
Methods: 34 patients complaining of snoring and sleep apnea were investigated with a portable data logger as outpatients. 4 subjects did not tolerate the procedure. The following parameters were recorded for 6 consecutive sleeping hours: oxygen saturation, esophageal and pharyngeal pressure, body position, nasal and oral airflow, snoring events. The obstruction level was found by analysing pressure amplitudes.
Results: The mean apnea hypopnea index was 17,1 with an average minimum oxygen saturation of 83.1%. 20 out of 34 patients had an AHI > 5, defined as OSA(S). 74% of the patients mainly presented upper level obstructions, while 26% showed lower or multilevel obstructions.
Summary: Ambulant EPPM is useful to distinguish central from obstructive breathing disorders as a screening method. In addition to other devices it indicates the obstruction level. It still has to be proven if this information could increase operative success rates. Limitations arise from a 10% intolerance rate.