Patient-ventilator asynchrony, leaks and sleep in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Abstract

Sleeping with non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis appears to be accompanied by a high patient-ventilator asynchrony (PVA) index. This prospective observational cohort study quantifies PVA and leaks, and searches for effects of these events on sleep after polysomnographic NIV titration. Full-video polysomnography, with incorporation of transcutaneous carbon dioxide and ventilator software, was used to analyse sleep epoch-by-epoch and respiratory events and PVA breath-by-breath in 35 patients (17 non-bulbar). After diagnostic polysomnography, NIV was titrated during three consecutive nights. Sleep, PVA and leaks were evaluated at discharge and after one month. Results showed that non-bulbar patients improved in sleep architecture and oxygen and carbon dioxide levels while bulbar patients only improved oxygen saturation. PVA remained present at discharge (non-bulbar 54 (21–101) and bulbar 31 (9–39)/h sleep) and one month (non-bulbar 31 (9–39) and bulbar 32 (17–55)/h sleep), with ineffective effort as most prominent asynchrony. Leaks also persisted after titration (non-bulbar 16.6 (3.1–44.6) and bulbar 5.1 (0.0–19.5)% of total sleep time (TST)) and one month (non-bulbar 7.7 (1.4–29.3) and bulbar 12.7 (0.0–35.2)% TST). PVA and leaks have none to minor effect on sleep architecture. In conclusion, although PVA and leaks remain present after meticulous NIV titration, these events seem not to interfere with sleep.

Key words:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• non-invasive ventilation
• sleep
• patient-ventilator asynchrony
• polysomnography

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the paramedical team members of the Leuven University Centre for Sleep/Wake disturbances for their technical contribution.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.