• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.98-104
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• 2005

Approximately 1% to 3% of all children have obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). OSAS in children can lead to a variety of symptoms and sequalae; impairment of development and quality of life, behavioral and personality disturbance, learning problem, cor pulmonale and hypertension. Diagnosis and treatment of OASA for children are different from those for adults in many respects. Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is major cause of childhood OSAS. Overnight polysomnography in a sleep laboratory is the gold standard for diagnosing childhood OSAS. However, because full polysomnography in children may be difficult to obtain, expensive, and inconvenient, other methods to diagnose OSAS have been investigated. Adenotonsillectomy is the most common surgical treatment of childhood OSAS. But if residual symptoms remained after adenotonsillectomy, it should be considered to additional treatment such as weight control, sleep positional change, and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.79-86
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• 2012

In the two-band excitation (TBE) model, maximum voiced frequency (MVF) is the most important feature of the excitation parameter because the synthetic speech quality depends on MVF. Thus, this paper proposes an enhanced MVF estimation scheme based on the peak picking method. In the proposed scheme, the local peak and the peak lobe are picked from the spectrum of a linear predictive residual signal. The normalized distance between neighboring peak lobes is calculated and utilized as a feature to estimate MVF. Experimental results of both objective and subjective tests show that the proposed scheme improves synthetic speech quality compared with that of the conventional one.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.140-146
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• 1997

Sleep-related breathing disorders, especially sleep apnea syndrome are complicated by neuropsychiatric dysfunction such as excessive daytime sleepiness, cognitive dysfunction, and depression. As the determinants of daytime sleepiness, sleep fragmentation is more influential than nocturnal hypoxia. Daytime sleepiness can be improved by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or surgery in up to 95% of the treated subjects. Both sleepiness and nocturnal hypoxia would cause cognitive dysfunction. While impairments in attention and verbal memory are more related with sleepiness and prominent in mild to moderate sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), impairments in general intellectual function and executive function are more related with nocturnal hypoxia and prominent in severe SAS. Several cognitive deficits related with nocturnal hypoxia may be irreversible despite CPAP or surgical treatments. So, early detection and early appropriate treatment of SAS would prevent sleepiness and cognitive deterioration.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2007

Sleep disordered breathing is highly prevalent in the elderly and affects older men and women similarly. Nocturia, cardiovascular diseases, cognitive impairment, traffic accidents and repeated falls are common manifestations of sleep apnea in the elderly and sleep study may be indicated in these patients. When a sleep study is planned, reliable markers of respiratory efforts and a tibial EMG should be included because central sleep apneas and periodic leg movements are common in the elderly patients. Although cardiovascular morbidity and mortality seem to be lower in the elderly than in middle-aged adults, these may not be as low as commonly believed. Excessive daytime sleepiness, cognitive dysfunction and nocturia can be improved by effective treatment with continuous positive airway pressure and a therapeutic trial should be recommended to all symptomatic patients. It is still unclear whether sleep apnea in older adults is a specific entity or the same disease as in younger adults. Further clinical research is warranted.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.270-278
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• 2019

Oral appliances therapy is becoming increasingly recognized as a successful treatment for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea(OSA). Compared with continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP), the gold standard therapy for OSA, oral appliance therapy are less efficacious for severe OSA but are more acceptable and tolerable for patients, which in turn, may lead to a comparable level of therapeutic effectiveness. Nevertheless, the various side effects of oral appliance therapy, such as, increased salivation or dryness, pain or discomfort in the teeth or gums, occlusal discomfort in the morning, temporomandibular disorders, dental and occlusal changes may cause discontinuation of treatment or changes in treatment plan. Therefore, oral appliance therapy should be provided by a qualified dentist who can evaluate oral tissues, occlusion, and temporomandibular joints, and prevent and manage the possible side effects.

• Korean journal of aerospace and environmental medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.19-22
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• 2018

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) can lead to severe complications if left untreated, and therefore should be adequately diagnosed and treated, especially in airline workers. The aviation medical examiner (AME) should induce the patient to cooperate for the diagnosis and treatment of OSAS, by notifying the subject that it does not cause disqualification of the air service and that it is a disease that can be sufficiently controlled and treated by various treatment options. AME should also warn about medical complications and the possibility of serious air accident risks when untreated, and encourage the subject to receive appropriate diagnosis and steady treatment such as continuous positive airway pressure and/or surgical treatment.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2006

Objectives: Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) is the treatment of choice and has been shown to reduce the frequency of nocturnal respiratory events, improve sleep architecture, and decrease daytime sleepiness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). However, little is known about the compliance of nCPAP treatment in Korea. Our objective was to look into the nCPAP compliance and examine the factors influencing it. Methods: We reviewed the records of one hundred and twenty consecutive patients with OSAS referred for nocturnal polysomnography with nCPAP pressure titration during the period of January 1995 through April 1999 to the Seoul National University Hospital. We performed a telephone interview and obtained data from eighty-three patients. Results: In sixty patients who had accepted nCPAP treatment, twenty-six patients (43.3%) were still using nCPAP device, while thirty-four patients (56.7%) stopped using it. Fifteen patients (25%) were using nCPAP device everyday. In thirty-four patients who discontinued nCPAP use, twenty-five patients (73.5%) did within the first three months, and thirty-one (91.2%) within the first year. Significant predictor of long-term nCPAP use was the presence of subjective daytime sleepiness before nCPAP application. Conclusions: Long-term compliance with nCPAP treatment appears to be associated with the presence of subjective daytime sleepiness before nCPAP application. Long-term compliance with nCPAP may be mostly predicted from the usage pattern within the first three months of use.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.85-95
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• 1996

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS) in childhood is unique and different n-om that in adulthood in several aspects, including pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnostic criteria, complications, management, and prognosis. Characteristic features of childhood OSAS in comparison with the adult form are the variety of severe complications such as developmental delay, more prominent behavioral and cognitive impairments, vivid cardiovascular symptoms, and increased death risk, warranting a special attention to the possible diagnosis of OSAS in children who snore. However, the childhood OSAS is often neglected and unrecognized. We, therefore, report a case of very severe OSAS in a 5-year-old boy who was sucessfully treated with continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) treatment. Interestingly, the patient was comor-bid with the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Prior to the initial visit to us, adenotonsillectomy had been done at the age of 4 with no significant improvement of apneic symptoms and heavy snoring. On the initial diagnostic procedures, marked degree of snoring was audible even in the daytime wake state and the patient was observed to be very hyperactive. Increased pulmonary vascularity with borderline cardiomegaly was noted on chest X-ray. The baseline polysomnography revealed that the patient was very sleep-apneic and snored very heavily, with the respiratory disturbance index(RDI) of 46.9 per hour of sleep, the mean SaO2 of 78.8%, and the lowest SaO2 of 40.0%(the lowest detectable oxygen level by the applied oxymeter). The second night polysomnography was done for CPAP titration and the optimal pressure turned out to be $8.0\;cmH_2O$. The applied CPAP treatment was well tolerated by the patient and was found to be very effective in alleviating heavy snoring and severe repetitive sleep apneas. After 18 months of the CPAP treatment, the patient was followed up with nocturnal polysomnography(baseline and CPAP nights) and clinical examination. Sleep apneas were still present without CPAP on the baseline night. However, the severity of OSAS was significantly decreased(RDI of 15.7, mean SaO2 of 96.2%, and the lowest SaO2 of 83.0%), compared to the initial polysomnographic findings before initiation of long-term CPAP treatment. Wechsler intelligence tests done before and after the CPAP treatment were compared with each other and surprising improvement of intelligence(total 9 points, performance 16 points) was noted. Clinically he was found to be markedly improved in his attention deficit hyperactive behavior after CPAP treatment, but with minimal change of TOVA(test of variables of attention) scores except conversion of reaction time score into normal range. On the chest X-ray taken after 18 months of CPAP application, the initial cardiopulmonary abnormalities were not found at all. We found that the CPAP treatment in a young child is very effective, safe, and well-tolerated and also improves the co-morbid attention deficit hyperactive symptoms. Overall, the growth and development of the child has been facilitated with the long-term use of CPAP. Cardiovascular complications induced by OSAS have been also normalized with CPAP treatment. We suggest that early diagnosis and active treatment intervention of OSAS in children are crucial in preventing and ameliorating possible serious complications caused by repetitive sleep apneas and consequent hypoxic damage during sleep.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.755-762
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• 1996

Background : Continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) is doubtlessly using as a medical treatment of choice for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome. CPAP is effective in OSA patients as a physical "pneumatic pressure splint" mechanism. We have done this study for two purposes, first to seek for the factors to determine the optimal CPAP titer, second to predict the minimal CPAP titer using the determined factors. Methods: We studied a 72 OSA patients who were treated with CPAP. All of them were studied by using a two nights polysomnographic rests in hospital. We compared the patients requiring CPAP over $10cmH_2O$ with those who required CPAP under 5cm $H_2O$ to determine the factors affecting the minimal CPAP titer. Results : The high CPAP group is characterized by a significantly higher body mass index(BMI), apnea index(AI) and apnea and hyponea index(AHI) and significantly lower lowest $SaO_2$. Regression analysis using the optimal four variables resulted in the following prediction equation for CPAP titer. CPAPtiter=8.382 + 0.064 ${\times}$ BMI + 0.077 ${\times}$ AI - 0.004 ${\times}$ AHI - 0.077 ${\times}$ lowest $SaO_2$ When this regression equation was applied to the 72 patients, the mean CPAP titer as predicted by the above equation was $7.80{\pm}2.96$ mmHg. Compared this value with actually determined CPAPtiter, $7.93{\pm}4.00$mmHg, there was no significant difference between the two values. Conclusion: Obesity, apnea severity and lowest Sa02 were strongly correlated with CPAP titer. Linear regression equation for CPAP titer using these indices predicted very closely the actually measured values in the sleep laboratory.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.293-300
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• 2011

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the change in usage and clinical outcomes of using a humidified high flow nasal cannula (HHFNC) in preterm infants. Methods: A retrospective review of patients with gestational age <32 weeks born at our neonatal intensive care unit from January 2008 to March 2011 was performed. First, data were compared between Era 1 (January 2008 to February 2009) and Era 2 (March 2009 to March 2011) to describe the increased usage of HHFNC. Second, the patients (gestational age 25-30 weeks) were divided into two groups to compare clinical outcomes. nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) and HHFNC groups who received either NCPAP or HHFNC as a respiratory support within 14 days of birth. Results: Compared to Era 1, HHFNC usage increased from 10 to 55% in Era 2, whereas NCPAP usage decreased from 40 to 5%. No difference in pulmonary or adverse outcomes including the incidence of reintubation and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), days on oxygen and a ventilator, and other outcomes was observed between the HHFNC and NCPAP groups. Days to reach full feed (32.2${\pm}$16.7 vs. 24.7${\pm}$10.2, P=0.05) and regain birth weight (20.9${\pm}$16.9 vs. 17.2${\pm}$4.3, P=0.04) decreased in the HHFNC group. Conclusion: HHFNC was feasible and did not differ in respiratory and other outcomes, but days to reach full feed and regain birth weight decreased in the HHFNC, when compared with the NCPAP. An additional prospective multicenter designed study is needed to better define safety and efficacy of HHFNC.