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I Kreuzer

Publications and source records attributed to I Kreuzer.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Long-term treatment with continuous positive airway pressure improves quality of life in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an established treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). While it is known that CPAP reverses the pathological breathing pattern and improves daytime sleepiness, there are no sufficient data on the long-term influence of CPAP on quality of life in patients with OSAS. Thirty-nine patients with polysomnographically verified OSAS (apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI): (mean+/-SD) 46.8+/-21.8 events x h(-1)) were prospectively studied. All patients answered three quality of life measures (Complaint List, Nottingham Health Profile Part 1 (NHP), and Verbal Analogue-Scale "quality of life") prior to the initiation of CPAP therapy. After a mean of 9 months they were re-evaluated by polysomnography, and completed the questionnaires once again. As expected, CPAP was effective in treating the sleep-related breathing disorder. AHI decreased significantly from (mean+/-SD) 46.8+/-21.8 events x h(-1) to 3.3+/-6.3 events x h(-1), and minimum oxygen saturation increased from 77.1+/-9.3% to 89.9+/-3.4%, while body mass index did not change significantly (31.3+/-5.4 versus 30.8+/-4.8 kg x m(-2)). During long-term treatment with CPAP the Complaint List revealed a significant improvement of the extent of subjective impairment due to physical and general complaints (26.4+/-9.9 versus 20.4+/-11.1), and NHP a significant improvement of emotional reactions (19.8+/-21.7 versus 11.1+/-14.0) and energy (50.8+/-36.6 versus 32.1+/-36.7), but not of pain, physical mobility, sleep, social isolation, and quality of life as assessed by the It is concluded that long-term continuous positive airway pressure therapy is effective in improving not only pathological breathing patterns but also parameters that estimate quality of life in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

Female↗

[Pronounced hypersomnia in a 13-year-old patient with periodic leg movements].

We report on a rare case of a thirteen-year old female with excessive daytime somnolence, which was caused by periodic leg movement. This underlines the necessity first to consider this diagnosis and second to record unconditionally the EMG derivation at minimum of the tibialis muscles in all patients with hypersomnolence. Even if carbamazepine is not the treatment of choice, in this case it was of remarkable effect.

Adolescent↗

[Modification of cardiopulmonary performance parameters in patients with obstructive sleep apnea treated with nCPAP therapy].

nCPAP influences cardiopulmonary hemodynamic function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It is known that systolic function of the right and left ventricle, systemic and pulmonary hypertension, arterial blood gases and lung function during the day may improve under this treatment. We prospectively followed 30 patients with severe OSA and determined diastolic left ventricular function (Doppler echocardiography), cardiovascular efficiency (steady state exercise stress testing); and individual assessment of performance (standardized psychometric questionnaire) before, and 2 weeks and 6 months after initiation of nCPAP treatment. The following results could be obtained (first value after 2 weeks, second value after 6 months): Doppler echocardiography: E/A rose by 9.3% (p < 0.05) and another 0.5% (n.s.). E/A integral increased by 13.8% (p < 0.01) and another 3.5% (n.s.). Deceleration period decreased by 22.7% (p < 0.01) and another 3.1% (n.s.). Steady state exercise stress testing: Maximum performance rose by 10% (p < 0.05) and another 17.5% (p < 0.01). Heart rate ratio 100 W/rest dropped by 13.5% (p < 0.001) and another 6.5% (p < 0.01), systolic blood pressure ratio 100 W/rest by 0.8% (n.s.) and another 14.9% (p < 0.001). Diastolic blood pressure ratio 100 W/rest did not change significantly. Questionnaire: Assessment of well-being increased by 44.5% (p < 0.05) and another 16.9% (n.s.). After an initial drop of 0.8% (n.s.), quality of life increased by 14.9% (p < 0.05). Assessment of performance rose by 21.7% (p < 0.05) and another 4.1% (n.s.). nCPAP therapy in patients with OSA improves diastolic function of the left ventricle, cardiovascular performance and individual assessment of performance.

Adult↗

[Obstructive sleep apnea in patients with coronary heart disease].

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea have an increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, those with co-existent coronary artery disease being particularly at risk. The object of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in patients with coronary artery disease. 153 patients (117 men, 36 women) with verified coronary artery disease were given a highly sensitive standardized questionnaire. The 59 patients with pathological results were then checked with a 6-channel non-laboratory monitoring system. 22.2% of all patients had a respiratory disturbance index (RDI) above 5/h. and 14.4% above 10/h. 13.3% had a pathological RDI and additionally suffered from excessive daytime sleepiness. Patients with coronary artery disease have a high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea and should consequently be screened for this sleep-related breathing disorder.

Aged↗

Clinical significance of ventricular late potentials in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) have an increased cardiovascular mortality and probably also an increased incidence of sudden cardiac death. Thus the question arises whether ventricular late potentials can constitute markers for an increased electric vulnerability in these patients. Signal-averaged electrocardiograms were recorded in 64 patients (6 female, 58 male; mean age 53.2 y) with OSA (mean apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) 41.7 h-1 +/- 24.3 h-1). Furthermore, a continuous ambulatory electrocardiogram and gated radionuclide ventriculography were performed. Ventricular late potentials were recorded in 5 men out of 64 patients. Two of them had coronary artery disease (1 patient post-myocardial infarction), 2 hypertension, and 1 nocturnal hypertension. No correlation could be traced between left ventricular ejection fraction, severity and extent of ventricular premature beats, or severity of OSA and occurrence of ventricular late potentials. It was noticeable, however, that the patients with ventricular late potentials had severe OSA (mean AHI 50.2/h vs. 40.9/h). Although OSA may lead to structural myocardial changes that could be the basis for re-entrant circuits, ventricular late potentials were found in only 7.8% of these patients. The results of this study demonstrate that at present ventricular late potentials and signal-averaged electrocardiograms do not prove useful as screening methods for risk stratification of patients with OSA.

Journal Article↗

[Sleep disorders in patients with dialysis-dependent renal failure].

A questionnaire was performed in order to classify the prevalence of sleep disorders in patients with end-stage renal disease treated with hemodialysis. 69 patients (41 male, 28 female) with a median age of 57 years completed the questionnaire. 67% of these patients complained of sleep disorders. 31 patients (45%) had evidence of periodic leg movement syndrome, 22 patients (32%) of restless legs syndrome. 29 patients (42%) had difficulties in falling asleep, 27 patients (39%) in maintaining sleep and 17 (25%) experienced both. Snoring was found in 25 patients (36%), 13 patients (19%) seemed to have sleep apnea. These data show an increased prevalence of sleep disorders in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis treatment. We conclude that these patients should consequently be asked for sleep disorders, as a specific diagnostic and therapeutic regime could improve quality of life and life expectancy. Especially sleep apnea is a disease that has a high prevalence in this patient group and which can be treated successfully.

Adult↗

[Effects of nCPAP therapy on the blood picture in patients with obstructive sleep apnea].

In some patients with obstructive sleep apnea, changes in red blood cell count resembling polycythemia can be observed. If these changes result from the sleep-related breathing disorder, its adequate treatment should in turn induce a decrease of, for instance, hemoglobin concentration. We therefore set out by examining retrospectively the development of hemoglobin concentration under nCPAP in 130 patients with polysomnographically verified obstructive sleep apnea, comparing the values before treatment and after a mean of 12.0 months. During this period, hemoglobin mass concentration dropped from a mean of 153 +/- 13 g/Ls to 148 +/- 11 g/Ls (p < 0.001). Afterwards we prospectively examined in 50 patients the changes in complete blood cell count before and immediately after initiation of nCPAP treatment. It turned out that hemoglobin mass concentration dropped from a mean of 154 +/- 14 g/Ls to 148 +/- 14 g/Ls (p < 0.001), the erythrocyte count from 5.02 +/- 0.42/pl to 4.79 +/- 0.51/pl (p < 0.001), and hematocrit from 45.4 +/- 3.1% to 43.1 +/- 4.3% (p < 0.001) after only one night; no more significant change occurred after that. Increased hemoglobin mass concentrations, erythrocyte counts and hematocrit values can be the result of obstructive sleep apnea. Treatment of this sleep disorder with nCPAP will induce a quick and significant decrease of hemoglobin mass concentration, erythrocyte count, and hematocrit, independent of the initial values. This phenomenon points to the fact that changes in blood cell counts are not caused by a disturbance of erythropoesis but rather by alterations in volume regulation.

Adult↗

[Right ventricular function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea].

Obstructive sleep apnea often affects the cardiovascular system. So far, only few data are available on its influence on the function of the right ventricle that can be evaluated by gated radionuclide ventriculography. This technique was performed on 68 patients with polysomnographically verified obstructive sleep apnea. 27.9% of the patients showed an impairment of right ventricular function. There was no correlation between right ventricular function and degree of obstructive sleep apnea or pulmonary artery pressures--as evaluated by right heart catheterization. Gated radionuclide ventriculography thus seems to be suitable for early detection of pathological effects of obstructive sleep apnea on the function of the right ventricle.

Adult↗