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J C Acres

Publications and source records attributed to J C Acres.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1982

Protriptyline in obstructive sleep apnea: a double-blind trial.

We evaluated protriptyline, a nonsedating tricyclic antidepressant, as a treatment for obstructive sleep apnea in a double-blind crossover study of five men. After two weeks of treatment, with no change in body weight, daytime somnolence was markedly reduced and nocturnal oxygenation was improved, although apnea duration and frequency were not significantly decreased. Rapid-eye-movement (REM) stage time as a fraction of the total sleep time was reduced during treatment from 0.231 +/- 0.031 to 0.107 +/- 0.013 (mean +/- S.E.M.) (P less than 0.05). REM apnea time as a fraction of total sleep time was reduced from 0.145 +/- 0.022 to 0.054 +/- 0.006 (P less than 0.05). REM reduction during treatment with protriptyline can account for decreased REM apnea time. Similar decreases in REM stage time and REM apnea duration and similar improvement in oxygenation continued after six months of treatment. In addition, body weight, apnea, and arousal frequency were decreased at this time. Although the obstructive sleep apnea was not resolved, it was reduced. Protriptyline can be effective in patients with sleep apnea when the disorder is not life-threatening.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Breathing during sleep in parents of sudden infant death syndrome victims.

Some children with "aborted" sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and parents of SIDS victims have abnormal control of ventilation. Because apnea during sleep occurs in some children who go on to die of SIDS, and because the abnormality in ventilatory control may be familial, we examined breathing during sleep in parents of SIDS victims to determine whether breathing pattern abnormalities were common in them. We studied 12 patients (6 couples) of SIDS victims and 12 age-matched control parents with healthy children. We failed to demonstrate significant differences in the incidence of apneas or breathing pattern irregularities between the SIDS and control parents. However, 2 SIDS parents, 1 male and 1 female, had 44 and 31 apneic episodes, respectively, exceeding the number conventionally used to document excessive apneic episodes during sleep. Neither of these parents had the hundreds of apneic episodes usually seen in the sleep apnea syndrome. Although these 2 SIDS parents support the notion that a sleep breathing abnormality may exist in SIDS parents, most of the SIDS parents had normal breathing during sleep. Because the abnormalities in the two SIDS parents were minor, and because the remainder of the subjects were normal, we conclude that polysomnographic recordings fail to reveal a "marker" that might identify potential SIDS parents.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Diagnosis of sleep breathing disorders in a general hospital. Experience and recommendations.

In the 24 months after a sleep breathing laboratory opened in a general hospital, 48 patients thought to have a primary sleep breathing disorder were referred for study. Evaluation of breathing during sleep was most useful in those having excessive daytime sleepiness or unexplained polycythemia. The sleep apnea syndrome was documented in 19 of 24 patients with excessive daytime sleepiness. Of 15 patients with unexplained polycythemia, ten were found to have severe hypoxemia during sleep. This experience suggests that facilities for evaluation of sleep breathing disorders should be available in larger medical centers.

Electrocardiography↗