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Periodic, Profound Peripheral Vasoconstriction—A New Marker of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

1999; Oxford University Press; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/sleep/22.7.939

1550-9109

R P Schnall, Arie Shlitner, Jacob Sheffy, R P Kedar, Peretz Lavie,

Cardiovascular and Diving-Related Complications

We report a novel approach to the determination of sleep apnea based on measuring the peripheral circulatory responses in a primary condition of disordered breathing. The apparatus is a finger plethysmograph coupled to a constant volume, variable pressure, pneumatic system. The plethysmograph's tip (measurement site) is composed of two parallel opposing longitudinal half thimbles, which is attached to a contiguous annular cuff. Each compartment consists of an internal membrane surrounded by an outer rigid wall. These provide a uniform pressure field and impart a two-point locking action preventing axial and longitudinal motion of the finger. Subdiastolic pressure is applied to prevent venous pooling, engorgement, and stasis, to inhibit retrograde venous shock wave propagation and partially unload arterial wall tension. The annular cuff extends the effective boundary of the pressure field beyond the measuring site.