Publications by authors named "Carolina Lombardi"

Telemedicine (TM) as a means of remote patient-physician interaction is gaining popularity in nearly every field, and (respiratory) sleep medicine is no exception. Because obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a chronic condition, and requires a continuous treatment and monitoring of therapy success, telematic communications could be useful to establish diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This Statement summarises the evidence and efficacy of TM options in OSA.

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Introduction: Chronic insomnia disorder significantly affects cognitive, emotional, and physical health. Recently, the dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA) daridorexant was approved for treating chronic insomnia in several countries. Given the limited evidence available, expert consensus was sought to clarify key clinical issues, inform practice, and guide future research.

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Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) has been considered effective in controlling various forms of central sleep apnoea (CSA) and also any additional obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) component. However, after the publication of the SERVE-HF study, its use was restricted in patients with systolic heart failure (HF) and prevalent CSA, and was withheld from many patients with symptomatic CSA. In the meantime, the devices have been further developed and the algorithms adapted, and there is new evidence from randomised controlled trials and observational studies that makes it necessary to re-evaluate some societies' statements on the use of ASV, especially in patients with HF and CSA and with the current ASV devices.

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Interest in the pathophysiology, measurement, and clinical implications of nocturnal blood pressure (BP) has significantly increased due to its strong association with cardiovascular risk, and its importance was recognized by the 2023 European Society of Hypertension (ESH) guidelines. Nocturnal BP regulation is complex and multifactorial, involving sleep-wake cycle, circadian rhythms, autonomic nervous system, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and renal mechanisms. 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is currently the reference method for nocturnal BP assessment.

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Introduction: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) associated with the risk of accidents at work or while driving. OSA treatment decreases EDS, but some patients remain sleepy despite optimal control of OSA. Patients who do not tolerate or refuse OSA treatment may be symptomatically treated for EDS.

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In obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), heart rate variability (HRV) decreases and performance in psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) worsens with more severe hypoxic load. Nevertheless, the association between HRV and PVT performance is poorly understood. Thus, we hypothesize that nocturnal short-term HRV is better related to daytime psychomotor vigilance compared with overnight HRV.

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Respiratory diseases exhibit diverse patterns in prevalence, clinical presentations, and outcomes between men and women. Historically, certain conditions were more prevalent in men, but trends have shifted, highlighting the need to understand sex disparities in respiratory health. Social, environmental, and healthcare changes have reshaped the landscape of respiratory diseases, complicating diagnosis and treatment.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study evaluates a modified "Baveno classification" for treating obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) by incorporating a cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk score and considering severe breathing issues.
  • Researchers analyzed data from 8,625 OSA patients, categorizing them into risk groups and assessing the impact of treatment over 12-24 months using results from the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and systolic blood pressure (SBP).
  • Findings show that treatment indications increased with higher CVD risk, and significant improvements in sleepiness and blood pressure were noted, supporting the importance of CVD assessment in OSA management.
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  • There are key differences in sleep patterns and disorders between women and men, influenced by hormonal changes related to reproductive stages like pregnancy and menopause.
  • Women tend to experience more insomnia and report symptoms like fatigue and mood swings more often than men.
  • The review emphasizes the necessity for clinicians and researchers to consider these gender differences in sleep disorders and evaluates current research on women's sleep health.
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Over the past few years, there has been a surge in interest regarding the connection between sleep duration and quality, sleep disorders, mainly Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and Vitamin D. There is growing evidence to support a new role of Vitamin D in the maintenance and regulation of optimal sleep. Furthermore, a notable link has been identified between OSA and a decrease in serum Vitamin D levels, which appears to intensify as the severity of sleep apnea worsens.

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(1) Background: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) represents sudden and unexplained deaths during the sleep of infants under one year of age, despite thorough investigation. Screening for a prolonged QTc interval, a marker for Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), should be conducted on all newborns to reduce the incidence of SIDS. Neonatal electrocardiograms (ECGs) could identify congenital heart defects (CHDs) early, especially those not detected at birth.

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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with the progression of cardiovascular diseases, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death (SCD). However, the acute impacts of OSA and its consequences on heart function are not yet fully elucidated. We hypothesized that desaturation events acutely destabilize ventricular repolarization, and the presence of accompanying arousals magnifies this destabilization.

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Aims: We analysed longitudinal blood pressure (BP) data from hypertensive obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients in the European Sleep Apnea Database cohort. The study investigated the interaction between positive airway pressure (PAP)-induced BP change and antihypertensive treatment (AHT).

Methods And Results: Hypertensive patients with AHT [monotherapy/dual therapy = 1283/652, mean age 59.

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  • Clinical outcomes for patients with chronic heart failure (HF) have significantly improved, allowing many to safely spend time at high altitudes.
  • While heart failure does not prevent safe altitude stays, HF patients experience exercise performance reductions that worsen with altitude and severity of their condition.
  • It's essential for HF patients to have their functional capacity evaluated and receive tailored treatments for hypoxia to ensure safe adaptation to high altitude conditions.
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Introduction: The pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is multi-factorial and complex. Varying OSA's pathophysiological traits have been identified, including pharyngeal collapsibility, upper airway muscle reactivity, arousal threshold, and regulation of the ventilatory drive. Being CPAP of difficult tolerance and other interventions reserved to specific subpopulations new pharmacological treatments for OSA might be resolutive.

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Periodic limb movements during sleep and obstructive sleep apnea are both associated with increased sympathetic tone, and have been proposed as risk factors for heart diseases and, in particular, cardiovascular disease. As sympathetic system activation may lead to dyslipidaemia, periodic limb movements during sleep could be an additional risk factor for cardiovascular disease in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The aim of the study was to determine whether the presence of periodic limb movements during sleep affects serum lipid levels in obstructive sleep apnea.

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  • The study investigates the effects of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) overlapping with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), known as OVS, on sleep quality and cardiovascular health.
  • Researchers compared clinical data of patients with OVS to those with only OSA, finding that OVS patients had worse sleep quality and higher rates of heart disease.
  • Results showed OVS leads to more severe nocturnal hypoxia and poorer sleep efficiency, significantly increasing the risk for conditions like hypertension and heart failure.
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Introduction: Prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is of key importance in reducing morbidity, disability and mortality worldwide. Observational studies suggest that digital health interventions can be an effective strategy to reduce cardiovascular (CV) risk. However, evidence from large randomised clinical trials is lacking.

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  • Recent advances in wearable devices and deep learning are enhancing early diagnosis and assessment of sleep disorders through multifactorial nocturnal monitoring.
  • A chest-worn sensor collects various signals, which are analyzed using a deep learning network to classify signal quality, breathing patterns, and sleep patterns.
  • The study achieved high accuracy in distinguishing normal signals and predicting breathing patterns, while it revealed challenges in identifying specific sleep-related patterns like snoring and noise.
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  • * A meta-analysis of 31 randomized controlled trials found that CPAP slightly improves insulin sensitivity and reduces total cholesterol levels, with greater benefits observed in pre-diabetic/type 2 diabetic patients and those with more severe OSA.
  • * Overall, while CPAP may offer some metabolic benefits, its effects are generally modest and may be more pronounced in specific subgroups of OSA patients.
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Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) comprises different diseases characterized by abnormal respiratory patterns during sleep including obstructive sleep apnea. SDB prevalence and impact in patients with chronic respiratory infections have been only marginally studied. The purpose of this narrative review is to report the prevalence and impact of SDB in chronic respiratory infections, including cystic fibrosis (CF), bronchiectasis and mycobacterial infections, and explore the possible pathophysiological mechanisms.

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The combination of noradrenergic (reboxetine) plus antimuscarinic (oxybutynin) drugs (reb-oxy) reduced obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity but no data are available on its effects on cardiac autonomic modulation. We sought to evaluate the impact of 1-week reb-oxy treatment on cardiovascular autonomic control in OSA patients. OSA patients were randomized to a double-blind, crossover trial comparing 4 mg reboxetine plus 5 mg oxybutynin to a placebo for OSA treatment.

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