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Published on: December 6, 2016
Ventilatory-control abnormalities in familial sleep apnea
Summary
Familial sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is linked to abnormal breathing control. Relatives of SDB patients show reduced response to low oxygen and increased airway resistance during breathing challenges.
Area of Science:
- Respiratory Physiology
- Sleep Medicine
- Genetics
Background:
- Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) can have a familial component.
- Understanding the physiological basis of familial SDB is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate ventilatory control abnormalities in individuals from families with a history of SDB.
- To determine if reduced hypoxic or hypercapnic ventilatory responses contribute to familial SDB.
Main Methods:
- Recruited subjects from SDB families and matched controls.
- Assessed respiratory responses to eucapnic hypoxia and hypercapnic hypercapnia using rebreathing.
- Measured ventilatory and occlusion pressure responses, with and without added resistive loads.
Main Results:
- First-degree relatives of SDB patients exhibited significantly blunted hypoxic ventilatory responses compared to controls.
- No significant differences in hypercapnic responses were observed under unloaded conditions.
- Members of SDB families showed a greater increase in inspiratory impedance with resistive loading during hypercapnia.
Conclusions:
- Familial SDB may be associated with inherited abnormalities in ventilatory control, specifically a diminished hypoxic drive.
- A propensity for dynamic airway narrowing during loaded breathing may also contribute to SDB in affected families.
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