NCT01738009

Mechanisms of Pharyngeal Collapse in Sleep Apnea, Study B

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (actual)
• Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

In obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the upper airway recurrently closes during sleep. The mechanisms that lead to airway closure are not completely understood. Some studies have shown that there is progressive narrowing of the pharyngeal airway across breaths during expiration (Progressive Expiratory Narrowing, PEN) preceding an obstructive apnea. The cause of PEN is unknown. The investigators will test if lung volumes and low respiratory drive play a role in PEN.

Detailed description

The mechanisms that lead to airway closure in OSA are not completely understood. Some studies have shown that there is progressive narrowing of the pharyngeal airway across breaths during expiration (Progressive Expiratory Narrowing, PEN) preceding an obstructive apnea. The investigators will test if lung volumes and low respiratory drive play a role in PEN. To this end, the investigators will visualize the pharynx of sleep apnea patients during sleep using a thin endoscope during sleep while simultaneously measuring lung volumes, genioglossus electromyogram, and pharyngeal pressure during flow-limited breaths. Flow limitation will be induced by sustained reductions of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

Conditions

• Sleep Apnea

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Induction of flow limitation

Timeline

• Start date: 2012-12-08
• Primary completion: 2016-06-01
• Completion: 2016-10-01
• First posted: 2012-11-30
• Last updated: 2022-03-09

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States