June 2011

SPOY Alert! July 31, 2011
This year’s deadline for Specialty Practitioner of the Year comes a little earlier than usual (because of our earlier AARC Congress). You have until July 31 to nominate a fellow section member for that annual recognition award. This is a great way to reward the colleagues in your life who go above and beyond every day, so consider who you’d like to honor and then nominate him/her via our ONLINE NOMINATION FORM.

Shaq Shares His Sleep Apnea Experience
Boston Celtics Center Shaquille O’Neal recently shared his experience with sleep apnea testing and treatment with Harvard Medical School clinicians. You can see how Shaq reacted to his diagnosis and CPAP prescription in this YouTube VIDEO posted on the HomeCare Magazine website. It might be something to share with your OSA patients who balk at using CPAP themselves.

CPAP Reduces Cardiovascular Mortality in the Elderly
The first large scale study to assess the impact of CPAP treatment on cardiovascular mortality in the elderly finds CPAP significantly reduces mortality among patients with OSA. Spanish researchers followed 939 patients who were divided into four groups: a control group without OSA, mild to moderate OSA patients without CPAP treatment, patients with severe OSA without CPAP treatment, and patients with any degree of OSA who received CPAP treatment. Untreated severe OSA was independently associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, as well as stroke and heart failure mortality, and CPAP treatment reduced these increased risks. The study was presented at the recent American Thoracic Society conference. READ PRESS RELEASE 

Breathing Stability Separates Pure OSA Patients from Those with Obstructive/Central Apnea
Researchers publishing in the June issue of Sleep find breathing stability rather than upper airway collapsibility distinguishes OSA patients with a combination of obstructive and central events from those with pure OSA (defined as 100% obstructive apneas). The study was conducted among 12 patients with central/mixed apneas and hypopneas, and nine with pure OSA. Researchers measured upper airway collapsibility with the critical closing pressure (Pcrit), and breathing stability via the CO2 reserve, during NREM sleep. No difference was noted in the Pcrit between the groups, but the CO2 reserve was significantly smaller in the group with central/mixed apneas and hypopneas. READ ABSTRACT

Gabapentin Enacarbil Effective Treatment for RLS
A new study out of Brigham and Women’s Hospital Sleep Health Center finds gabapentin enacarbil is effective in treating restless leg syndrome (RLS). The multicenter crossover study randomized patients to four weeks of treatment with gabapentin enacarbil followed by four weeks of treatment with a placebo, or the same two interventions in opposite order. When compared with placebo, gabapentin enacarbil 1200 mg significantly reduced both wake time during sleep and periodic limb movements associated with arousal per hour of sleep. The most commonly reported adverse events were dizziness and somnolence, affecting 20% and 13%, respectively, of patients when they were on the active drug. The study was published ahead of print by Movement Disorders on May 24. READ ABSTRACT