Inspire Medical Systems, a developer of neuro-stimulation therapies for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea or OSA Tuesday said that the company has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or FDA to begin its STAR pivotal clinical trial.

Inspire was formed in 2007 when the technology and a significant intellectual property portfolio was spun-out of Medtronic.

OSA is a common sleep disorder that occurs when the tongue and other soft tissues of the throat relax and obstruct the airway during sleep.

According to the company, the STAR trial is a multi-center study that will evaluate both the safety and effectiveness of Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation therapy in patients with moderate to severe OSA . The results of this study will be the basis for a Pre-market approval or PMA application to the FDA.

Inspire also said that it has received CE Mark for Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation therapy.

‘Tis the season for holiday stress.  From last minute shopping, to getting less sleep, to making ends meet financially, to consuming more sweets and drinks at holiday get-togethers.  Americans are faced with many more physical and emotional pressures during the holidays. Recent research studies and surveys in the areas of sleep, eating, and finances are shedding some light on actions one can take to lessen the stress load.

The market research firm Harris Interactive recently conducted a “Holiday Stress Index” study. The poll was based on a nationwide sample of 2,173 adults in the U.S. eighteen years and over.  Ninety percent of the respondents said they experience some level of stress and/or anxiety about the holiday season. However this year, more than a third (38 percent) said they expect to feel more stress and anxiety in this holiday season due to the current economy.  Read the rest of this entry

BMI stands for Body Mass Index and is calculated using your height and weight, a screening tool to identify weight problems. BMI is a fairly reliable indicator of body fat for most adults, with the exception of athletes and the elderly.

The formula used is: [weight in pounds ÷ ( height in inches ) x ( height in inches)] x 703. An easier way to calculate is to go to an online calculator such as The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at: nhlbisupport.com/bmi/.

There are four categories to interpret BMI for adults 20 years and older:

· Underweight = less than 18.5

· Normal weight = 18.5 24.9

· Overweight = 25 29.9

· Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

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Restless leg syndrome is often a symptom of conditions or diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, but could also be side effects associated with certain medications. Below is a list of diseases and conditions associated with symptoms like restless leg syndrome, as well as a list of medications related to similar side effects.

We are not medical professionals, and these may not be comprehensive lists. Please contact your doctor if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms or side effects, or similar health issues.

Restless leg syndrome is discomfort in the legs and the strong or irresistible urge to move them. Movement temporarily relieves the discomfort. Restless leg syndrome is often worse at night and can cause sleep deprivation.

Restless Leg Syndrome Could Be A Symptom Of:

Iron Deficiency does not have to be so low as to cause anemia in order to cause restless leg syndrome. It is believed that low iron in brain cells causes signals to get crossed in the central nervous system. Other symptoms of iron deficiency can include weakness, irritability, fatigue, heartburn, abdominal pains, heart palpitations, tingling in the extremities, and soreness in the mouth. Read the rest of this entry

A research was concluded toevaluate the effect of body position on REM-related obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients.

In this Retrospective analysis based research 100 consecutive adult OSA patients (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] ? 5) who had ? 10 min of REM sleep in both supine and lateral postures. REM-related OSA was defined by previously used criteria (REM AHI/Non-REM (NREM) AHI ? 2) and was compared with data from Not–REM-related OSA (REM AHI / NREM AHI < 2).

Most (93%) of the REM-related OSA patients (n = 45) had a mild–moderate syndrome, compared to 50.9% in the Not–REM-related OSA patients (n = 55). REM-related OSA patients had a lower apnea index (AI), AHI, supine and lateral AHI, and NREM AHI, but similar REM AHI compared to the Not–REM-related OSA group. For the entire group, the following sequence was observed:

AHI REM supine > AHI NREM supine > AHI REM lateral > AHI NREM lateral. Also, for the REM-related and Not–REM-related OSA patients, the interaction between supine posture and REM sleep led to the highest AHI. However, the average length of apnea and hypopneas during REM sleep was similar in the supine and lateral postures.

During REM sleep, the supine position is associated with increased frequency but not increased duration of apneas and hypopneas. These body position effects prevail over the differences between REM-related and Not–REM-related OSA patients.

Team of researchers included Arie Oksenberg, Ph.D.; Elena Arons, Ph.D.; Khitam Nasser, PSGT; Tatiana Vander, M.D.; Henryk Radwan, M.D. from Sleep Disorders Unit, Loewenstein Hospital-Rehabilitation Center, Raanana, Israel.

Essential Topics in Dental Sleep Medicine, an all-new Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology course designed specifically for dentists, will debut on January 14-15, 2011. The course will be held at the school’s facility in Atlanta.

After developing sleep medicine training for physicians, technicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants for more than 18 years, the Atlanta School is now expanding into the world of dental sleep medicine. Led by course directors Russell Rosenberg, PhD, Edward Spiegel, DDS, and Dan Brown, JD, Essential Topics in Dental Sleep Medicine will take a more advanced approach to sleep medicine as it applies to the dental field. Read the rest of this entry

SleepApneaDisorder/[Press Release]/ SPOKANE, WA,/– An estimated 40% of adult men and 24% of adult women suffer from habitual snoring, according to a report by the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM). In addition, the AADSM has found that 50% of snorers have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a dangerous, life threatening disorder that affects nearly 20 million Americans.

Fortunately, help is close at hand for the nearly two million people living in the Inland Empire, an area that stretches from Western Idaho through Eastern Washington

Inland Empire Sleep Solutions.com conveniently connects patients with a select group of health professionals who are highly trained in treating OSA and a wide variety of sleep disorders. Read the rest of this entry

By Jobee Knight

Each of us has our own source of stresses in our lives.  Whether we take these home from the workday or they exist in the home itself, sometimes the pressures can interfere with our sleep.  Stress manifests on the physical level by an outpouring of the adrenal hormone cortisol.  Scientists have recently discovered that increased blood levels of cortisol exist in people with chronic insomnia.  Some individuals may be suffering from a sustained activation of the body’s system for responding to stress.  Related research has also uncovered that in the presence of elevated cortisol, the level of calcium is rapidly reduced in the body – a mineral that’s known to assist with relaxation and sleep.

In a study from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (1), investigators monitored the sleep of eleven patients with insomnia and thirteen people without any sleep disorder.  Blood was collected every thirty minutes for twenty-four hours, and levels of the adrenal stress hormones were monitored.  The researches found that the average levels of adrenal hormones measured were significantly higher in the insomniacs than in the control group.  The insomniacs with the highest degree of sleep disturbances secreted the highest amount of cortisol, particularly in the evening and nighttime hours. Read the rest of this entry

UVa Health System, Pulmonary and Critical Care Department seeks healthy children, adolescents, and young adults ages 5 to 20, with snoring and possible sleep-related obstructive breathing disorders for a research study.

The purpose of this study is to find out if an experimental portable device, called SoundTrak, can collect data about your breathing at home while you sleep, and determine whether you stop breathing during sleep (called sleep apnea). This data from the SoundTrak would then be compared to the data collected during a standard overnight sleep study at the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) Sleep Lab. Read the rest of this entry

The Reproductive Endocrine Unit at the Massachusetts General Hospital seeks healthy girls and boys (10-17 years old) with sleep apnea.

 The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of sleep apnea on reproductive hormones.

This study involves a screening visit (1 hour) and two overnight stays at the hospital (from approximately 6pm to 9am). The study will take at most 2 months to complete.

Payment for participation is up to $225.

Call Natalie at 617-726-1895 or email nshaw@partners.org for more information.

Natalie D Shaw, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit Street
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617 726 1895
EMail: nshaw@partners.org

UVa Health System, Department of Medicine, Pulmonary Division seeks healthy men, women, children and adolescents ages 5 to 65, with snoring and possible sleep-related obstructive breathing disorders for a research study.

The purpose of the study is to determine if an experimental device for sleep monitoring can accurately tell if you are awake or asleep and how well you are sleeping. The experimental device will be compared to a sleep study done using standard sleep monitoring equipment.
The study involves 1 outpatient consent and screening visit that will last about 1 hour, and 1 overnight stay at UVa Health Systems GCRC of about 16 hours for sleep monitoring.

§ Study-related screening visit and overnight sleep test (standard test to detect the presence of sleep apnea) provided free of charge.
§ Compensation for study completion is $ 125.00
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Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: “Global Sleep Apnea Diagnostic And Therapeutic Devices Industry”. 

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Sleep Apnea Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices in US$ Million by the following Product Segments: Diagnostic Devices (Fixed PSG, Ambulatory PSG, & Others (include Screening Devices)), and Therapeutic Devices (CPAP, Bi-Level PAP, Auto PAP, & Facial Interfaces (Masks and Humidifiers)). Read the rest of this entry