title: The impact of nocturnal oxygen desaturation on quality of life in cystic fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nocturnal oxyhaemoglobin desaturation is common in cystic fibrosis (CF) but the effect on quality of life (QoL) remains unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty stable CF outpatients with mean age 31±8 years (mean±1 SD), BMI 20.8±3.2 kg/m(2) and FEV(1) 42±13% predicted had arterial blood gas sampling, lung function testing, overnight pulse oximetry and completed the CF QoL questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  11 (18%) of the CF patients were 'desaturators,' (SpO(2)<90% for ≥30% recording time on overnight oximetry). Desaturators had greater difficulty performing their treatments (39±22 vs 61±26, p<0.01) and more exertional dyspnoea (3.2±0.8 vs 2.0±0.9, p<0.001) than non-desaturators after controlling for the effects of FEV(1), awake PaO(2) and PaCO(2) (adjusted p-values <0.01 and 0.04 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nocturnal oxyhaemoglobin desaturation is associated with impaired QoL, independent of the effects of lung function and awake gas exchange, in stable CF outpatients with moderate to severe lung disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia. a.young@alfred.org.au
authors.forename: Alan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Tom C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Kotsimbos
authors.forename: Matthew T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Naughton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients; D010092:Oximetry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010108:Oxyhemoglobins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen