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Effect of progressive hypoxia on breathing during sleep
The American Review of Respiratory Disease
|July 1, 1982
Summary
Sleep can worsen apnea-inducing effects of oxygen changes but has mixed impacts on breathing responses to hypoxia. Hypoxia during sleep is less likely to cause arousal, even at low oxygen saturation levels.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Sleep Medicine
- Respiratory Control
Background:
- Sleep alters cardiorespiratory control.
- Hypoxia is a potent respiratory stimulant during wakefulness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of sleep on ventilatory and arousal responses to progressive hypoxia.
- To compare breathing patterns during hypoxia when awake versus asleep.
Main Methods:
- 17 healthy adults underwent progressive hypoxia during wakefulness and NREM sleep.
- Ventilation measured using magnetometers/inductive plethysmography.
- Oxygen saturation monitored via ear oximetry; isocapnia not maintained.
Main Results:
- Sleep showed inconsistent effects on ventilatory responses to hypoxia; no average change observed.
- Periodic breathing after hypoxia relief was more common during sleep.
- Hypoxia did not consistently elicit arousal, even with oxygen saturation below 75%.
Conclusions:
- Sleep potentiates apnea-inducing effects of oxygen changes.
- Sleep has inconsistent effects on ventilatory responses to hypoxia.
- Hypocapnic hypoxia is not a reliable arousal stimulus during sleep.