Obstructive disordered breathing during sleep in patients with spinal cord injury

Abstract

Little is known about respiration and sleep in spinal cord injured (SCI) patients, and yet they frequently have complaints related to sleep. Four SCI patients with various sleep complaints were evaluated with nocturnal polysomnography. All 4 had evidence of obstructive sleep apnea (disordered breathing). These findings suggest that obstructive sleep apnea may be contributing to disruptive sleep in SCI patients and may be responsible for many of their daytime symptoms. © 1990 International Medical Society of Paraplegia.