Inhibition of Ventilatory Motor Output Increases Expiratory Retro Palatal Compliance during Sleep

摘要

We hypothesized that inhibition of ventilatory motor output leads to increased pharyngeal compliance during NREM sleep, independent of lung volume.MethodsEighteen subjects were studied using noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) to inhibit ventilatory motor output during stable NREM sleep. Nasopharyngoscopy was used to measure the retro palatal cross-sectional area / pressure relationship (CSA/Pph) in 8 subjects. The effect of NPPV on neck circumference (NC) and end-expiratory lung volumes (EELV) was studied in 10 additional subjects using strain gauge plethysmography and Respitrace, respectively.