May, 6, 2009Obstructive sleep apnea thickens patient's blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease, according to a study published in the May 1 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology.Researchers from Emory University found that chronic intermittent hypoxia forces the blood vessels in the lung to make more of the enzyme NADPH oxidase. Mice that lack NADPH oxidase are immune to hypoxia's effects.NADPH oxidase can be a helpful enzyme because it is responsible for ...

A-STEP Self-Study online Modules for RPSGT candidates following Pathway #2 have been eliminated effective immediately, the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) announced today."In reviewing exam statistics from the past several testing windows, we determined that the performance of Pathway #2 candidates -- credentialed allied health professionals -- was significantly stronger than the performance of 18-month candidates, and that the performance and pass rate had not been enhanced by ...

April 13, 2009Researchers have previously linked sleep disturbances to an increased risk of suicidal behavior in people with psychiatric disorders, but a recent study suggests adults in the general population are 2.6 times more likely to report a suicide attempt if they have two or more symptoms of insomnia. Overall, the year-long study observed suicidal behavior in 5,692 Americans with 2.6 percent reporting suicidal thoughts, and 0.5 percent reporting an actual suicide attempt. The World Health ...

April 6, 2009Socioeconomic status predicts acceptance levels of continuous positive airway pressure with acceptance increasing by 140 percent with each increased income level, according to a recent Israeli study.The study, which involved 162 newly-diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea patients, showed that 60 percent of patients requiring CPAP decline to purchase the device, and that the odds of purchase were 5.76 times greater in the highest third of income level than in the lowest third."The current study ...

April 2, 2009Rehospitalizations among Medicare recipients are a common and expensive trend, costing an estimated $17.4 million in 2004, according to a new study presented in the New England Journal of Medicine. Nearly 20 percent of the 11,855,702 Medicare beneficiaries studied were re-hospitalized within 30 days, and 34 percent were hospitalized within 90 days of discharge. The rehospitalized patients stayed an average 0.6 days longer than patients with the same condition who had not been hospitalized ...

March 30, 2009A recent study indicates animals that sleep longest have six times more immune cells and only four percent as many parasites as those who sleep shortest. This has caused researchers to suggest that sleep may have evolved to maintain the immune system and protect against disease.The study, which examined 30 mammalian species, is one of many studies to link sleep with immune system management. Sleep is thought to aid in memory consolidation, reorganization of neuron connection in the brain, ...

March 23, 2009People who sleep less than six hours a night are 4.5 times more likely to have elevated glucose levels, and thus develop diabetes, than those who sleep six to eight hours, according to a recent study."Impaired fasting glucose - a reading higher than 100 - is known as pre-diabetes, which is a precursor to Type 2 diabetes," Lisa Rafalson, PhD, a National Research Service Award (NRSA) Fellow in the University of Buffalo Department of Family Medicine and first author on the study, said in a news ...

March 16, 2009A nurse-led model of care for obstructive sleep apnea is just as effective as the traditional physician-guided model and also more cost-efficient, according to a recent study.Researchers said the two models had similar results in terms of improvement on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, but that the nurse-led one cost $722 less per patient. "While we were not surprised at this finding, we were very pleased, as it indicates a robust new avenue for providing better access to sleep services for ...

March  9, 2009Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder may be chronically sleep deprived and experience abnormal REM sleep, according to a recent study.Children with ADHD logged an average of 33 minutes less than the control group overall, and 16 minutes less during REM sleep. The study authors indicated that up to 50 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD have clinically reported sleep problems."I do not believe that sleep per se is the cause of ADHD, but it may make the symptoms ...

March 2, 2009The U.S. economy and personal financial concerns are causing one-third of Americans to lose sleep, according to a poll release today by the National Sleep Foundation. "It's easy to understand why so many people are concerned over the economy and jobs, but sacrificing sleep is the wrong solution," David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation, said in a news release. "Sleep is essential for productivity and alertness and is a vital sign for one's overall health."The poll also indicated ...

Several members of the BRPT and invited sleep professionals gathered in Minneapolis recently to begin the process of conducting a BRPT Job Task Analysis that will impact the RPSGT exam beginning in 2010. The Job Task Analysis is a study conducted every few years to ensure that the RPSGT exam content is "real-world relevant" and reflects current best practices, technology, and job responsibilities in the field, said BRPT President Becky Appenzeller, RPSGT, REEGT, CNIM.The work done in Minneapolis will be ...

Feb. 20, 2009 The National Sleep Foundation is counting down to National Sleep Awareness Week®, which takes place March 1-8, 2009, to coincide with the return of Daylight Saving Time. In the weeks leading up to NSAW, the NSF's website will be presenting different quizzes and tips that test your sleep knowledge. The week will kick off with the National Sleep Foundation Annual Awards Dinner. Additional events include a scientific conference focusing on pain and sleep and a Sleep Care Leadership ...

Feb. 23, 2009Videofluoroscopy may help guide treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea by allowing for a direct, dynamic view that classifies the severity of the disorder and identifies the nature of obstruction, according to researchers at Seoul National University College of Medicine in South Korea.The technology allows physicians to observe the soft palate, which becomes more elongated and angled as OSA severity increases, and so researchers believe it may help differentiate OSA from simple ...

Feb. 19, 2009People who exercise regularly are less likely to develop cancer, but only if they get sufficient sleep, according to research presented at the meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. In assessing 5,968 women aged 18 to 65, researchers took the upper half in terms of weekly exercise output and found that those who slept less than seven hours nightly were 47 percent more likely to develop cancer.  Although sleep has a clear link to better health, researchers said it was ...

Feb. 10, 2009Losing weight is perhaps the single, most effective way to reduce the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a prospective, randomized trial published in the second issue for February of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Weight loss offers short- and long-term effectiveness for OSA for a relatively modest price tag, according to the researchers. "Very low calorie diet (VLCD) combined with active lifestyle counseling resulting in marked weight ...