Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 80, Issue 5 1466-1474, Copyright © 1996 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Effects of genioglossal response to negative airway pressure on upper airway collapsibility during sleep

F. Philip-Joet, I. Marc and F. Series
Unite de Recherche, Hopital Laval, Universite Laval, Sainte Foy, Quebec, Canada.

Continuous negative airway pressure (CNAP) trials can be used to measure upper airway (UA) collapsibility. This procedure can be accompanied by an increase in UA muscle activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of CNAP-induced increase in genioglossal (GG) activity on UA collapsibility in 10 healthy sleeping men. UA collapsibility was measured on two occasions; each recording was preceded by the administration of a placebo or diazepam (0.15 mg/kg) in a randomized double-blind crossover design. In seven subjects, the decrease in mask pressure (Pmask) was associated with an increase in mean GG electromyographic (EMG) activity during the placebo trial, with a significant negative relationship between these two variables. This relationship was still observed with diazepam. In six subjects, the slope of the relationship between mean EMG and Pmask was less negative with diazepam. This was associated with an increase in critical pressure (Pcrit). With the placebo, a positive relationship was found between Pcrit and the slope of the mean EMG/Pmask relationship. We conclude that Pcrit is influenced by the GG response to the decrease in Pmask during CNAP.

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