Nocturnal hypoxia in ALS is related to cognitive dysfunction and can occur as clusters of desaturations.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to progressive weakness of the respiratory and limb muscles. Consequently, most patients with ALS exhibit progressive hypoventilation, which worsens during sleep. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between nocturnal hypoxia and cognitive dysfunction and to assess the pattern of nocturnal hypoxia in patients with ALS.

Method

Twenty-five patients with definite or probable ALS underwent neuropsychologic testing, nocturnal pulse oximetry, and capnography. Patients were grouped according to the presence of nocturnal hypoxia (SpO2<95% for ≥10% of the night) and their clinical characteristics and cognitive function were compared.

Results

Compared to patients without n

SUBMITTER: Park SY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3776791 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature