NCT00732199

Determinants of Age Related Breathing Instability During Non-Rapid-Eye-Movement (NREM) Sleep

Determinants of Age-specific Breathing Instability During Sleep

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 92 (actual)
• Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Federal
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 89 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose for this research protocol was to examine the role of breathing control mechanisms that determine the development of sleep-disordered breathing in the elderly. This proposal focused on key factors that contribute to the control of ventilation in elderly adults during sleep. The investigators studied the age-specific changes in ventilatory control in older and young adults during NREM sleep.

Detailed description

Sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAS) is a relatively common disorder in the US population with significant adverse health consequences. Despite the high prevalence of SAS in elderly individuals, the underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. Specifically, the investigators do not know whether the high prevalence of sleep apnea in older adults is due to increased central breathing instability. This proposal focused on investigating age-specific differences in the susceptibility to central breathing instability in adults. This project had the following specific objectives: * To determine age-specific changes in the hypocapnic apneic threshold during NREM sleep in elderly vs young individuals. * To determine age-specific changes in long-term facilitation during sleep in elderly versus young individuals. Procedure: The investigators determined the susceptibility to central breathing instability by mechanically ventilating the subjects during NREM sleep using non-invasive pressure support ventilation. The investigators compared the hypocapnic apneic threshold in old (age\>60 years) and young (age 18-50 years) individuals who were healthy. The investigators also measured the parameters over a continuum of age from 18 to 89 years. \- The investigators investigated whether there was a difference in the susceptibility to long term facilitation of ventilation between young and old healthy individuals in response to episodic hypoxia, while maintaining isocapnia. Sleep apnea is very common in older Veterans and is associated with significant cardiovascular complications. Greater insight into the pathogenesis will have a positive impact on the health of Veterans suffering from this condition. This study furthers the understanding of the pathogenesis of breathing instability leading to sleep-disordered breathing during sleep. The investigators anticipate findings will provide a basis for new approaches to prevention and management of SAS in Veterans.

Conditions

• Sleep Apnea
• Age

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	1) hyperventilation via noninvasive positive pressure ventilation 2) multiple trials of episodic hypoxia	1\) noninvasive hyperventilation to determine apneic threshold; 2) episodic hypoxia to determine ventilatory long term facilitation

Timeline

• Start date: 2008-10-01
• Primary completion: 2015-04-01
• Completion: 2015-04-01
• First posted: 2008-08-11
• Last updated: 2017-06-28
• Results posted: 2017-06-28

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States