OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEAS IN RELATION TO SEVERITY OF CERVICAL SPINAL-CORD INJURY

Thirty-three subjects (28 men, five women) with complete or incomplete cervical cord injury representing a wide range of neurological impair ment were investigated with regard to the prevalence of Obstructive Sl eep Apnea (OSA). The relation between OSA and neurological function, r espiratory capacity, body mass index and symptoms associated with OSA were studied. Overnight sleep recordings employed combined oximetry an d respiratory movement monitoring. Pulmonary function tests included s tatic and dynamic spirometry, maximal static inspiratory and expirator y pressures at the mouth. The subjects answered a questionnaire concer ning sleep quality and tiredness. The prevalence of OSA was 15% (5/33) in this nonobese cervical cord injury study population. Nine percent of the subjects (3/33) fulfilled the criteria for obstructive sleep ap nea syndrome, but daytime sleepiness or fatigue were also common in su bjects without OSA. There was an inverse correlation between oxygen de saturation index and American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) motor s core in the subjects with complete injury, while there was no such cor relation in the whole study group. There were significant correlations between maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures and vital capaci ty and between ASIA motor score and vital capacity.