Sleep loss impairs inspiratory muscle endurance

Sleep loss is common in patients with respiratory disorders. To determine whether sleep loss affects respiratory muscle function, we compared respiratory muscle and pulmonary functions after normal sleep with those measured after a 30-h sleepless period in 30 normal male subjects. The respiratory muscle strength was estimated by the maximal static inspiratory and expiratory pressures. Inspiratory muscle endurance was determined by the product of pressure load and the sustained time, i.e., pressure-time index, while the subject breathed against an inspiratory pressure load on a modified Nickerson-Keens device. We found that inspiratory muscle endurance was decremented from 871 +/- 61 to 638 +/- 69 cm H2O.min after sleep deprivation. Twelve-second maximal voluntary ventilation was also significantly reduced after sleep loss. Nevertheless, the respiratory muscle strength, FEV1, and FVC were unaltered. We therefore conclude that inspiratory muscle endurance may deteriorate after a 30-h sleep loss.