Sleep Disordered Breathing after Stroke

Call for Papers

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB), particularly obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea (OSAH), is established risk factor for stroke. OSAH is highly prevalent in patients with first-ever stroke or TIA and is associated with a negative long-term prognosis [1, 2]. Treatment strategies to counteract the deleterious effects of OSAH in stroke patients are under investigation, although findings to date have been inconclusive [3]. Stroke populations predominantly demonstrate some mix of OSAH and central sleep apnea hypopnea (CSAH). It appears as if these disturbances are the result of an interaction between the patients’ primary breathing condition and some of the long-term consequences of stroke on the breathing system (both central and peripheral). Stroke patients are treated with CPAP on the assumption that OSAH in stroke cases has the same characteristics of breathing as the general population of OSAHs. Instead, the presence of CSAH together with OSAH could be a problem for nasal CPAP use and compliance to treatment, and this may account for the inconclusive results of clinical trials.

Many questions about the SDB profile after stroke and its pathophysiology, the impact of SDB on stroke, and the long-term consequences of SDB on stroke recovery are unanswered. One main question rises above the many others: is CPAP treatment of “OSAH and stroke” patients as much effective as in “nonstroke OSAH” patients? What are the clinical and sleep characteristics of responders and of nonresponders?

To help raise the profile of SDB after stroke and facilitate the reporting of research that will positively impact patients’ lives, Stroke Research and Treatment is launching a call for research papers. The subject of the papers must illustrate results that advance the understanding of interactions between the consequences of stroke and SDB. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Frequency of SDB after stroke, their characterization, and potential causes for new onset after stroke
• Prognosis of stroke in subjects with CSAH and in subjects with OSAH
• The impact of treating SDB on neurological, functional, and psychological recovery after stroke
• The impact of treating SDB on cardiovascular outcomes
• Screening for SDB in patients with stroke. Pros and Cons evidence
• Effect of age on SDB with stroke
• Effect of SDB versus other factors on glucose metabolism in patients with stroke

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal’s Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/srt/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/submit/journals/srt/sleep/ according to the following timetable:

Lead Guest Editor

• Maria L. Sacchetti, University of Roma La Sapienza, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Italy

Guest Editors

• Lianne Tomfohr, San Diego State University, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, USA
• Markku Partinen, University of Helsinki, Department of Neurology, Finland