[Diagnostic criteria and treatment for sleep-disordered breathing: RERA]

In polysomnography, RERA is defined as a respiratory parameter that indicates an arousal associated with a respiratory event and an increase in respiratory effort. Initially, RERA was described by means of esophageal manometry for the evaluation of respiratory effort. This greater respiratory effort occurs as a response to an increase in upper airway resistance, which is a factor present in the pathophysiology of sleep-disordered breathing, such as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and upper airway resistance syndrome. Later, the use of a nasal pressure cannula was reported to be a reliable means of identifying airflow limitation and one that is more sensitive than is a thermistor. In addition, the nasal pressure cannula method has been used as a surrogate for esophageal manometry in the identification of periods in which upper airway resistance increases. Consequently, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend the use of either method for the identification of RERA, which is defined by the flattening of the inspiratory curve, characteristic of airflow limitation. Although RERA has been identified and evaluated in current medical practice, it has yet to be standardized. Therefore, it is recommended that polysomnographic reports indicate which abnormal respiratory events were taken into consideration in the evaluation of the severity of sleep-disordered breathing.