Sleep breathing disorders in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.
OBJECTIVE
to investigate the presence of sleep breathing disorders in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) and their correlation with the severity of the disease.


METHODS
Fifteen patients (mean age 63 +/- 4 years) with idiopathic PD (Group A) and 15 healthy matched controls (Group B) were studied. All patients were under treatment with L-Dopa/Carbidopa and classified according to the UPDRS motor scale: 8 had mild disease (UPDRS < 12), 6 moderate (UPDRS: 12-22) and 1 severe (UPDRS > 22).


RESULTS
All participants underwent full night polysomnography (PSG). The sleep-wake history was assessed. Spirometry, maximal respiratory pressures and arterial blood gases were also measured. Snoring was more common in Group A patients (73.3% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.002). Among the parameters studied apnea hypopnea index (AHI), mean O2 saturation, minimum O2 saturation, REM% sleep and Arousal Index (Arousal Index) were statistically different between the two groups. Furthermore, 9 PD patients fulfilled the criteria for obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) predominately mild, 1 for central sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (CSAHS) and 5 were normal. In all patients a marked reduction in percentage REM sleep was observed. Among the patients with OSAHS 5 had mild PD, 3 moderate and 1 severe. The patient with CSAHS had moderate disease. Finally, 3 patients with mild and 2 with moderate PD had no evidence of sleep breathing disorders. Correlations between severity of disease and sleep parameters are provided.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that sleep breathing disorders, predominantly obstructive, seem to be common in PD and those events correlate with the severity of the disease.
Maria
Basta
B
Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Sophia
Schiza
S
Michalis
Mauridis
M
Charalampos
Lydakis
L
Andreas
Plaitakis
P
John
Milic Emili
ME
Nikolaos
Siafakas M
SM
D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology