Ailiang Xie

The ventilatory responsiveness to CO2 below eupnoea as a determinant of ventilatory stability in sleep

Sleep unmasks a highly sensitive hypocapnia‐induced apnoeic threshold, whereby apnoea is initiated by small transient reductions in arterial CO2 pressure (PaCO2) below eupnoea and respiratory rhythm is not restored until PaCO2 has risen significantly above eupnoeic levels. We propose that the ‘CO2 reserve’ (i.e. the difference in PaCO2 between eupnoea and the apnoeic threshold (AT)), when combined with ‘plant gain’ (or the ventilatory increase required for a given reduction in PaCO2) and ‘controller gain’ (ventilatory responsiveness to CO2 above eupnoea) are the key determinants of breathing instability in sleep. The CO2 reserve varies inversely with both plant gain and the slope of the ventilatory response to reduced CO2 below eupnoea; it is highly labile in non‐random eye movement (NREM) sleep. With many types of increases or decreases in background ventilatory drive and PaCO2, the slope of the ventilatory response to reduced PaCO2 below eupnoea remains unchanged from control. Thus, the CO2 reserve varies inversely with plant gain, i.e. it is widened with hyperventilation and narrowed with hypoventilation, regardless of the stimulus and whether it acts primarily at the peripheral or central chemoreceptors. However, there are notable exceptions, such as hypoxia, heart failure, or increased pulmonary vascular pressures, which all increase the slope of the CO2 response below eupnoea and narrow the CO2 reserve despite an accompanying hyperventilation and reduced plant gain. Finally, we review growing evidence that chemoreceptor‐induced instability in respiratory motor output during sleep contributes significantly to the major clinical problem of cyclical obstructive sleep apnoea.

Influence of cerebrovascular function on the hypercapnic ventilatory response in healthy humans

An important determinant of [H+] in the environment of the central chemoreceptors is cerebral blood flow. Accordingly we hypothesized that a reduction of brain perfusion or a reduced cerebrovascular reactivity to CO2 would lead to hyperventilation and an increased ventilatory responsiveness to CO2. We used oral indomethacin to reduce the cerebrovascular reactivity to CO2 and tested the steady‐state hypercapnic ventilatory response to CO2 in nine normal awake human subjects under normoxia and hyperoxia (50% O2). Ninety minutes after indomethacin ingestion, cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) in the middle cerebral artery decreased to 77 ± 5% of the initial value and the average slope of CBFV response to hypercapnia was reduced to 31% of control in normoxia (1.92 versus 0.59 cm−1 s−1 mmHg−1, P < 0.05) and 37% of control in hyperoxia (1.58 versus 0.59 cm−1 s−1 mmHg−1, P < 0.05). Concomitantly, indomethacin administration also caused 40–60% increases in the slope of the mean ventilatory response to CO2 in both normoxia (1.27 ± 0.31 versus 1.76 ± 0.37 l min−1 mmHg−1, P < 0.05) and hyperoxia (1.08 ± 0.22 versus 1.79 ± 0.37 l min−1 mmHg−1, P < 0.05). These correlative findings are consistent with the conclusion that cerebrovascular responsiveness to CO2 is an important determinant of eupnoeic ventilation and of hypercapnic ventilatory responsiveness in humans, primarily via its effects at the level of the central chemoreceptors.

Effect of hypoxia on the hypopnoeic and apnoeic threshold for CO2 in sleeping humans

1 Rhythmic breathing during sleep requires that PCO2 be maintained above a sensitive hypocapnic apnoeic threshold. Hypoxia causes periodic breathing during sleep that can be prevented or eliminated with supplemental CO2. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hypoxia in changing the difference between the eupnoeic PCO2 and the PCO2 required to produce hypopnoea or apnoea (hypopnoea/apnoeic threshold) in sleeping humans. 2 The effect of hypoxia on eupnoeic end‐tidal partial pressure of CO2 (PET,CO2) and hypopnoea/apnoeic threshold PET,CO2 was examined in seven healthy, sleeping human subjects. A bilevel pressure support ventilator in a spontaneous mode was used to reduce PET,CO2 in small decrements by increasing the inspiratory pressure level by 2 cmH2O every 2 min until hypopnoea (failure to trigger the ventilator) or apnoea (no breathing effort) occurred. Multiple trials were performed during both normoxia and hypoxia (arterial O2 saturation, Sa,O2= 80 %) in a random order. The hypopnoea/apnoeic threshold was determined by averaging PET,CO2 of the last three breaths prior to each hypopnoea or apnoea. 3 Hypopnoeas and apnoeas were induced in all subjects during both normoxia and hypoxia. Hypoxia reduced the eupnoeic PET,CO2 compared to normoxia (42.4 ± 1.3 vs. 45.0 ± 1.1 mmHg, P < 0.001). However, no change was observed in either the hypopnoeic threshold PET,CO2 (42.1 ± 1.4 vs. 43.0 ± 1.2 mmHg, P > 0.05) or the apnoeic threshold PET,CO2 (41.3 ± 1.2 vs. 41.6 ± 1.0 mmHg, P > 0.05). Thus, the difference in PET,CO2 between the eupnoeic and threshold levels was much smaller during hypoxia than during normoxia (‐0.2 ± 0.2 vs. ‐2.0 ± 0.3 mmHg, P < 0.01 for the hypopnoea threshold and ‐1.1 ± 0.2 vs. ‐3.4 ± 0.3 mmHg, P < 0.01 for the apnoeic threshold). We concluded that hypoxia causes a narrowing of the difference between the baseline PET,CO2 and the hypopnoea/apnoeic threshold PET,CO2, which could increase the likelihood of ventilatory instability.

Association of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Risk With Asthma Control in Adults

BACKGROUND Unrecognized obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may lead to poor asthma control despite optimal therapy. Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between OSA risk and asthma control in adults. METHODS Patients with asthma seen routinely at tertiary-care clinic visits completed the validated Sleep Apnea Scale of the Sleep Disorders Questionnaire (SA-SDQ) and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ). An ACQ score of >or= 1.5 defined not-well-controlled asthma, and an SA-SDQ score of >or= 36 for men and >or= 32 for women defined high OSA risk. Logistic regression was used to model associations of high OSA risk with not-well-controlled asthma (ACQ full version and short versions). RESULTS Among 472 subjects with asthma, the mean +/- SD ACQ (full version) score was 0.87 +/- 0.90, and 80 (17%) subjects were not well controlled. Mean SA-SDQ score was 27 +/- 7, and 109 (23%) subjects met the definition of high OSA risk. High OSA risk was associated, on average, with 2.87-times higher odds for not-well-controlled asthma (ACQ full version) (95% CI, 1.54-5.32; P = .0009) after adjusting for obesity and other factors known to worsen asthma control. Similar independent associations were seen when using the short ACQ versions. CONCLUSIONS High OSA risk is significantly associated with not-well-controlled asthma independent of known asthma aggravators and regardless of the ACQ version used. Patients who have difficulty achieving adequate asthma control should be screened for OSA.

Influence of cerebral blood flow on breathing stability

Our previous work showed a diminished cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to changes in Pa(CO(2)) in congestive heart failure patients with central sleep apnea compared with those without apnea. Since the regulation of CBF serves to minimize oscillations in H(+) and Pco(2) at the site of the central chemoreceptors, it may play an important role in maintaining breathing stability. We hypothesized that an attenuated cerebrovascular reactivity to changes in Pa(CO(2)) would narrow the difference between the eupneic Pa(CO(2)) and the apneic threshold Pa(CO(2)) (DeltaPa(CO(2))), known as the CO(2) reserve, thereby making the subjects more susceptible to apnea. Accordingly, in seven normal subjects, we used indomethacin (Indo; 100 mg by mouth) sufficient to reduce the CBF response to CO(2) by approximately 25% below control. The CO(2) reserve was estimated during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. The apnea threshold was determined, both with and without Indo, in NREM sleep, in a random order using a ventilator in pressure support mode to gradually reduce Pa(CO(2)) until apnea occurred. results: Indo significantly reduced the CO(2) reserve required to produce apnea from 6.3 +/- 0.5 to 4.4 +/- 0.7 mmHg (P = 0.01) and increased the slope of the ventilation decrease in response to hypocapnic inhibition below eupnea (control vs. Indo: 1.06 +/- 0.10 vs. 1.61 +/- 0.27 l x min(-1) x mmHg(-1), P < 0.05). We conclude that reductions in the normal cerebral vascular response to hypocapnia will increase the susceptibility to apneas and breathing instability during sleep.

Role of Central/Peripheral Chemoreceptors and Their Interdependence in the Pathophysiology of Sleep Apnea

Unstable periodic breathing with intermittent ventilatory overshoots and undershoots commonly occurs in chronic heart failure, in hypoxia, with chronic opioid use and in certain types of obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep promotes breathing instability because it unmasks a highly sensitive dependence of the respiratory control system on chemoreceptor input, because transient cortical arousals promote ventilatory overshoots and also because upper airway dilator muscle tonicity is reduced and airway collapsibility enhanced. We will present data in support of the premise that carotid chemoreceptors are essential in the pathogenesis of apnea and periodicity; however it is the hyperadditive influence of peripheral chemoreceptor sensory input on central chemosensitivity that accounts for apnea and periodic breathing. This chemoreceptor interdependence also provides a significant portion of the normal drive to breathe in normoxia (i.e. eupnea) and in acute hypoxia. Finally, we discuss the effects of preventing transient hypocapnia (via selective increases in FICO(2)) on centrally mediated types of periodic breathing and even some varieties of cyclical obstructive sleep apnea.

Effects of stabilizing or increasing respiratory motor outputs on obstructive sleep apnea

To determine how the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients pathophysiological traits predict the success of the treatment aimed at stabilization or increase in respiratory motor outputs, we studied 26 newly diagnosed OSA patients [apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) 42 ± 5 events/h with 92% of apneas obstructive] who were treated with O2 supplementation, an isocapnic rebreathing system in which CO2 was added only during hyperpnea to prevent transient hypocapnia, and a continuous rebreathing system. We also measured each patients controller gain below eupnea [change in minute volume/change in end-tidal Pco2 (ΔVe/ΔPetCO2)], CO2 reserve (eupnea-apnea threshold PetCO2), and plant gain (ΔPetCO2/ΔVe), as well as passive upper airway closing pressure (Pcrit). With isocapnic rebreathing, 14/26 reduced their AHI to 31 ± 6% of control (P < 0.01) (responder); 12/26 did not show significant change (nonresponder). The responders vs. nonresponders had a greater controller gain (6.5 ± 1.7 vs. 2.1 ± 0.2 l·min(-1)·mmHg(-1), P < 0.01) and a smaller CO2 reserve (1.9 ± 0.3 vs. 4.3 ± 0.4 mmHg, P < 0.01) with no differences in Pcrit (-0.1 ± 1.2 vs. 0.2 ± 0.9 cmH2O, P > 0.05). Hypercapnic rebreathing (+4.2 ± 1 mmHg PetCO2) reduced AHI to 15 ± 4% of control (P < 0.001) in 17/21 subjects with a wide range of CO2 reserve. Hyperoxia (SaO2 ∼95-98%) reduced AHI to 36 ± 11% of control in 7/19 OSA patients tested. We concluded that stabilizing central respiratory motor output via prevention of transient hypocapnia prevents most OSA in selected patients with a high chemosensitivity and a collapsible upper airway, whereas increasing respiratory motor output via moderate hypercapnia eliminates OSA in most patients with a wider range of chemosensitivity and CO2 reserve. Reducing chemosensitivity via hyperoxia had a limited and unpredictable effect on OSA.

Physiology in Medicine: Obstructive sleep apnea pathogenesis and treatment—considerations beyond airway anatomy

We review evidence in support of significant contributions to the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) from pathophysiological factors beyond the well-accepted importance of airway anatomy. Emphasis is placed on contributions from neurochemical control of central respiratory motor output through its effects on output stability, upper airway dilator muscle activation, and arousability. In turn, we consider the evidence demonstrating effective treatment of OSA via approaches that address each of these pathophysiologic risk factors. Finally, a case is made for combining treatments aimed at both anatomical and ventilatory control system deficiencies and for individualizing treatment to address a patients own specific risk factors.

Effects of Inhaled Fluticasone on Upper Airway during Sleep and Wakefulness in Asthma: A Pilot Study

STUDY OBJECTIVE Obstructive sleep apnea is prevalent among people with asthma, but underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Inhaled corticosteroids may contribute. We tested the effects of orally inhaled fluticasone propionate (FP) on upper airway (UAW) during sleep and wakefulness. STUDY DESIGN 16-week single-arm study. PARTICIPANTS 18 (14 females, mean [ ± SD] age 26 ± 6 years) corticosteroid-naïve subjects with mild asthma (FEV1 89 ± 8% predicted). INTERVENTIONS High dose (1,760 mcg/day) inhaled FP. MEASUREMENTS (1) UAW collapsibility (passive critical closing pressure [Pcrit]); (2) tongue strength (maximum isometric pressure-Pmax, in KPa) and endurance-time (in seconds) able to maintain 50% Pmax across 3 trials (Ttot)-at anterior and posterior locations; (3) fat fraction and volume around UAW, measured by magnetic resonance imaging in three subjects. RESULTS Pcrit overall improved (became more negative) (mean ± SE) (-8.2 ± 1.1 vs. -12.2 ± 2.2 cm H2O, p = 0.04); the response was dependent upon baseline characteristics, with older, male gender, and worse asthma control predicting Pcrit deterioration (less negative). Overall, Pmax increased (anterior p = 0.02; posterior p = 0.002), but Ttot generally subsided (anterior p = 0.0007; posterior p = 0.06), unrelated to Pcrit response. In subjects studied with MRI, fat fraction and volume increased by 20.6% and 15.4%, respectively, without Pcrit changes, while asthma control appeared improved. CONCLUSIONS In this study of young, predominantly female, otherwise healthy subjects with well-controlled asthma and stiff upper airways, 16-week high dose FP treatment elicited Pcrit changes which may be dependent upon baseline characteristics, and determined by synchronous and reciprocally counteracting local and lower airway effects. The long-term implications of these changes on sleep disordered breathing severity remain to be determined.

Sleep apnea: a review of diagnostic sensors, algorithms, and therapies

While public awareness of sleep related disorders is growing, sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) remains a public health and economic challenge. Over the last two decades, extensive controlled epidemiologic research has clarified the incidence, risk factors including the obesity epidemic, and global prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as well as establishing a growing body of literature linking OSA with cardiovascular morbidity, mortality, metabolic dysregulation, and neurocognitive impairment. The US Institute of Medicine Committee on Sleep Medicine estimates that 50-70 million US adults have sleep or wakefulness disorders. Furthermore, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) estimates that more than 29 million US adults suffer from moderate to severe OSA, with an estimated 80% of those individuals living unaware and undiagnosed, contributing to more than