Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Authors/reviewers
    • Instructions for authors
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Institutional open access agreements
    • Peer reviewer login
    • WoS Reviewer Recognition Service
  • Alerts
  • Subscriptions
  • ERS Publications
    • European Respiratory Journal
    • ERJ Open Research
    • European Respiratory Review
    • Breathe
    • ERS Books
    • ERS publications home

User menu

  • Log in
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
  • ERS Publications
    • European Respiratory Journal
    • ERJ Open Research
    • European Respiratory Review
    • Breathe
    • ERS Books
    • ERS publications home

Login

European Respiratory Society

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Authors/reviewers
    • Instructions for authors
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Institutional open access agreements
    • Peer reviewer login
    • WoS Reviewer Recognition Service
  • Alerts
  • Subscriptions

Respiratory somnology: a clinical update

G. M. Verleden, B. Buyse, D. Pevernagie, M. Demedts
European Respiratory Review 2007 16: 113-114; DOI: 10.1183/09059180.00010601
G. M. Verleden
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
B. Buyse
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
D. Pevernagie
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
M. Demedts
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

During recent years, it has become evident that disturbed sleep, whether central sleep apnoea syndrome or obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), may lead to several other effects, such as cardiovascular diseases and many metabolic disturbances. Although the treatment of these sleeping problems is based on ventilatory support and pharmacological agents (in the case of central sleep apnoea or hypoventilation), positive airway pressure systems or upper airway surgery/oral appliances (in the case of obstructive SDB), the treatment effects are not always clear. The treatment effects, in particular on metabolic disturbances, need more investigation, whereas some effects, for instance, on cardiovascular outcome parameters, already seem quite convincing. Related ethical dilemmas may also arise, such as “sleep apnoea and driving”, where it is not always easy to find the optimal solution.

The purpose of the international symposium “Respiratory somnology: a clinical update”, organised by the Dept of Respiratory Diseases of the University Hospital Gasthuisberg at the Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven (Belgium) on March 16–18, 2006, which forms the subject of the current issue of the ERR, was to provide a clinical update of several issues regarding sleep and its related problems. Various clinical and basic researchers and internationally renowned experts in the field were brought together from all over Europe to discuss various topics related to sleep disorders and its possible consequences for health.

In the first article, Pevernagie et al. [1] discuss the role of ventilatory support (nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), bi-level pressure support or adaptive servo-ventilation) and pharmacological treatment, including optimising cardiac condition, theophylline, acetazolamide and/or oxygen, in patients with central apnoea or hypoventilation. In the second article, Pevernagie et al. [2] deal with the application of stable CPAP via the nose (nasal CPAP), as it has been the mainstay of treatment for more than two decades in obstructive sleep apnoea patients. As there is poor treatment compliance and/or refusal in a large proportion of CPAP-treated patients, Boudewyns et al. [3], in the third article, describe the selection of patients for the different conservative (oral appliances) and surgical treatment modalities (upper airway surgery by soft tissue resection (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, etc.) and skeletal procedures, such as maxillo-mandibular advancement).

Buyse et al. [4] discuss the effect of CPAP on different outcome parameters, such as sleepiness and attention deficits, as well as higher cognitive/executive defects in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), whereas the subsequent paper by Buyse et al. [5] explores the relationship between obstructive sleep apnoea and hypertension and arterial vascular diseases, such as stroke and ischaemic coronary disease. Jahaveri [6] discusses the role of sleep apnoea and hypopnoea as potential contributing factors in the progressively declining course of left and right ventricular remodelling and dysfunction in heart failure. Excessive daytime sleepiness with obstructive sleep apnoea is one of the most prevalent causes, and is associated with an increased risk of traffic accidents. Krieger [7] extensively discusses how this ethical dilemma should be dealt with.

In the penultimate article, Harsch [8] discusses the metabolic disturbances in patients with OSAS, such as insulin resistance, elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines and vascular adhesion molecules, as well as an elevation of hormones derived from the adipose tissue, such as leptin. Although sleep apnoea syndrome is associated with cardiovascular morbidity, it is less clear if it is also associated with increased mortality. In the final article, Lavie [9] reviews the data supporting an increased risk of mortality in patients with severe sleep apnoea in comparison with individuals with mild or no sleep apnoea, and the evidence for efficient treatment in decreasing mortality.

It is very much hoped that this issue of the European Respiratory Review will provide an interesting synthesis and update of the current knowledge of respiratory somnology.

Acknowledgments

The authors are very grateful to P.S. Burge, Editor-in-Chief, for granting them the privilege of publishing the international symposium “Respiratory somnology: a clinical update” in the European Respiratory Review.

    • © ERSJ Ltd

    References

    1. ↵
      Pevernagie D, Janssens JP, De Backer W, Elliott M, Pepperell J, Andreas S. Ventilatory support and pharmacological treatment of patients with central apnoea or hypoventilation during sleep. Eur Respir Rev 2007; 16: 115–124
    2. ↵
      Pevernagie D, Masa JF, Meurice JC, Farré R, Marrone O, Rodenstein D. Treatment of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing with positive airway pressure systems. Eur Respir Rev 2007; 16: 125–131
    3. ↵
      Boudewyns A, Marklund M, Hochban W. Alternatives for OSAHS treatment: selection of patients for upper airway surgery and oral appliances. Eur Respir Rev 2007; 16: 132–145
    4. ↵
      Buyse B, the participants of working group 2. Treatment effects of sleep apnoea: where are we now? Eur Respir Rev 2007; 16: 146–168
    5. ↵
      Buyse B, Hedner J, the participants of working group 2. Sleep apnoea, hypertension and vascular disease: where are we now? Eur Respir Rev 2007; 16: 169–182
    6. ↵
      Javaheri S. Treatment of obstructive and central sleep apnoea in heart failure: practical options. Eur Respir Rev 2007; 16: 183–188
    7. ↵
      Krieger J. Sleep apnoea and driving: how can this be dealt with? Eur Respir Rev 2007; 16: 189–195
    8. ↵
      Harsch IA. Metabolic disturbances in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Eur Respir Rev 2007; 16: 196–202
    9. ↵
      Lavie P. Mortality in sleep apnoea syndrome: a review of the evidence. Eur Respir Rev 2007; 16: 203–210
    PreviousNext
    Back to top
    View this article with LENS
    Vol 16 Issue 106 Table of Contents
    • Table of Contents
    • Index by author
    Email

    Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on European Respiratory Society .

    NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

    Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
    Respiratory somnology: a clinical update
    (Your Name) has sent you a message from European Respiratory Society
    (Your Name) thought you would like to see the European Respiratory Society web site.
    CAPTCHA
    This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
    Print
    Citation Tools
    Respiratory somnology: a clinical update
    G. M. Verleden, B. Buyse, D. Pevernagie, M. Demedts
    European Respiratory Review Dec 2007, 16 (106) 113-114; DOI: 10.1183/09059180.00010601

    Citation Manager Formats

    • BibTeX
    • Bookends
    • EasyBib
    • EndNote (tagged)
    • EndNote 8 (xml)
    • Medlars
    • Mendeley
    • Papers
    • RefWorks Tagged
    • Ref Manager
    • RIS
    • Zotero

    Share
    Respiratory somnology: a clinical update
    G. M. Verleden, B. Buyse, D. Pevernagie, M. Demedts
    European Respiratory Review Dec 2007, 16 (106) 113-114; DOI: 10.1183/09059180.00010601
    del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Technorati logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Connotea logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
    Full Text (PDF)

    Jump To

    • Article
      • Acknowledgments
      • References
    • Info & Metrics
    • PDF
    • Tweet Widget
    • Facebook Like
    • Google Plus One

    More in this TOC Section

    • Smoking cessation: a clinical update
    • Elucidating the causes and examining the latest clinical findings in pulmonary fibrosis
    • Winners of the ERS Annual Awards 2007
    Show more Introduction

    Related Articles

    Navigate

    • Home
    • Current issue
    • Archive

    About the ERR

    • Journal information
    • Editorial board
    • Press
    • Permissions and reprints
    • Advertising
    • Sponsorship

    The European Respiratory Society

    • Society home
    • myERS
    • Privacy policy
    • Accessibility

    ERS publications

    • European Respiratory Journal
    • ERJ Open Research
    • European Respiratory Review
    • Breathe
    • ERS books online
    • ERS Bookshop

    Help

    • Feedback

    For authors

    • Instructions for authors
    • Publication ethics and malpractice
    • Submit a manuscript

    For readers

    • Alerts
    • Subjects
    • RSS

    Subscriptions

    • Accessing the ERS publications

    Contact us

    European Respiratory Society
    442 Glossop Road
    Sheffield S10 2PX
    United Kingdom
    Tel: +44 114 2672860
    Email: journals@ersnet.org

    ISSN

    Print ISSN: 0905-9180
    Online ISSN: 1600-0617

    Copyright © 2023 by the European Respiratory Society