Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of an altitude sojourn on patients with the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
Detailed description
Previous observations do not allow to draw firm conclusions on the effect of altitude sojourn on sleep, breathing and daytime performance in patients with the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Furthermore, the susceptibility of sleep apnea patients to high altitude related illness is not known. Therefore, the purpose is to study untreated patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome living at low altitude during a sojourn of a few days at moderate altitude in order to evaluate the physiologic effects of hypobaric hypoxia in these patients. We hypothesize that: 1. Sleep and nocturnal breathing disturbances in untreated OSA patients are more pronounced at moderate altitude compared to low altitude. 2. The increase in sleep related breathing disturbances at moderate altitude is due to an increase in central apnea/hypopnea
Interventions
OTHERaltitude exposure
sojourn at moderate altitude (1860m and 2590m) during 2 days/nights each
Sponsors
University of Zurich
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome based on symptoms and a sleep study
Exclusion criteria
* Sleep disorders other than obstructive sleep apnea syndrome * Other than mild, stable cardiovascular disease * Other than mild lung disease * Chronic rhinitis, previous uvulopalatopharyngoplasty * Treatment with drugs that affect respiratory center drive * Internal, neurologic or psychiatric disease that interferes with sleep quality * Previous intolerance to moderate or low altitude \< 2600m
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Prevalence and severity of sleep disordered breathing | during altitude sojourn |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| alterations in sleep structure and vigilance; high altitude related illness | during altitude sojourn |
Countries
Switzerland
Outcome results
None listed