Respiratory responsiveness in male alcoholics after withdrawal

Peripheral and central chemosensitivity were assessed in eight abstinent male alcoholic patients and in seven healthy normal male subjects. Hypoxic rebreathing (15% O2, 7% CO2) was used to stimulate the peripheral and central chemoreceptors together. Hyperoxic rebreathing (93% O2, 7% CO2) was used to examine the central chemoreceptor response independently of the peripheral chemoreceptors. Minute ventilation was examined in relation to end-tidal PACO2 under the two conditions. Neither peripheral nor central chemoreceptor responses were significantly altered in the alcoholic as compared to the control subjects. Abnormal chemoreceptor function is therefore unlikely to be an important factor in the development of abnormal respiratory events during sleep in abstinent alcoholic subjects.