Chest, Vol 95, 274-278, Copyright © 1989 by American College of Chest Physicians

ARTICLES

Nocturnal oxygen therapy does not improve snorers' intelligence

AJ Block, DW Hellard and DA Switzer
University of Florida Medical Center, Gainesville.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether nasal oxygen therapy at 2 L/min would (1) reverse nocturnal hypoxemia and (2) improve neuropsychologic function in men who snore heavily. DESIGN: To select heavy-snoring subjects for a treatment protocol, volunteers were screened for one night, breathing air the first half and oxygen the second half of the night. If nocturnal oxygen desaturation occurred in the first half and was improved in the second half of the night, the subject entered a two- month treatment program. In random order, either nocturnal air or nocturnal oxygen was administered for one month each at 2 L/min in a double-blind crossover design. Neuropsychologic testing was done before and after each month. SETTING: Oxygen concentrators were modified to produce either greater than 96 percent oxygen or air at 2 L/min. Machines were delivered to the home of the subject and the machines were used each night, administering inspirate by nasal cannula. PARTICIPANTS: Seventeen asymptomatic men who snored heavily and volunteered for minimal payment of $75. INTERVENTIONS: Air was administered for one month, and oxygen was administered for one month. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: On the screening night, oxygen administration did not improve obstructive sleep apnea, but did improve oxygenation. After one month of oxygen therapy at night, there was no significant benefit to multiple measures of neuropsychologic function. CONCLUSION: In this study, oxygen therapy at night had no effect on neuropsychologic function in men who snore heavily.