C. Guilleminault et al., PASSIVE CONSTRICTION OF THE UPPER AIRWAY DURING CENTRAL APNEAS - FIBEROPTIC AND EMG INVESTIGATIONS, Respiration physiology, 108(1), 1997, pp. 11-22
We studied five adult male patients with central sleep apnea syndrome
(> 75% of the monitored events being central) during sleep using a fib
eroptic scope and EMG monitoring of the superior and middle constricto
rs of the pharynx and the genioglossus and geniohyoid muscles. The fib
eroptic investigation revealed a spontaneous decrease in the size of t
he airway during central apneas, without negative intrathoracic pressu
re or activation of the superior and middle pharyngeal constrictor mus
cles. We found a mean maximum decrease of 71 +/- 7% in the cross-secti
onal area of the airway and an absence of superior-middle pharyngeal c
onstrictor EMG discharge. We did not observe any complete collapses of
the airway. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.