Chest ACCP Education Calendar
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Article Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Cistulli, P. A.
Right arrow Articles by Sullivan, C. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Cistulli, P. A.
Right arrow Articles by Sullivan, C. E.
(Chest. 1995;108:631-635.)
© 1995 American College of Chest Physicians

Sleep Apnea in Marfan's Syndrome

Increased Upper Airway Collapsibility During Sleep

Peter A. Cistulli MBBS, PhD1 and Colin E. Sullivan MBBS, PhD1

1 From the Center for Respiratory Failure and Sleep Disorders, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, Australia

Marfan's syndrome is a hereditary disorder characterized by a defect in connective tissue, resulting in tissue laxity. It is associated with a high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The aim of this study was to determine whether excessive upper airway collapsibility during sleep is an important pathophysiologic factor predisposing these individuals to OSA. We measured upper airway closing pressures (UACP) during sleep in 12 patients with Marfan's syndrome and 6 age-, and height-, and weight-matched control subjects. Ten of the patients had OSA, defined as an apnea/hypopnea index >5. All patients with Marfan's syndrome, including the two patients without OSA, demonstrated increased upper airway collapsibility during sleep, with a mean UACP of -2.5±0.5 cm H2O during slow-wave sleep (SWS). In contrast, only two control subjects demonstrated upper airway closure. However, this was at significantly higher suction pressures, with a mean UACP of -5.6±0.4 cm H2O during SWS (p<0.005). These data suggest that patients with Marfan's syndrome have abnormally increased upper airway collapsibility during sleep. It is possible that this is related to the characteristic connective tissue defect of this disorder.

Key Words: Marfan's syndrome • obstructive sleep apnea • upper airway collapsibility

Submitted on January 3, 1995
Accepted on April 3, 1995




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ChestHome page
P. A. Cistulli, H. Gotsopoulos, and C. E. Sullivan
Relationship Between Craniofacial Abnormalities and Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Marfan's Syndrome
Chest, November 1, 2001; 120(5): 1455 - 1460.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1995 by the American College of Chest Physicians.