Clinical significance of negative esophageal pressure in sleep apnea syndrome

The authors investigated the relationship between esophageal pressure fluctuation (DPes) during sleep and the following parameters: respiratory disorder variables and daytime sleepiness manifested as the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS). In the younger patient group under 60 years of age (n = 33), DPes was correlative to both the apnea‐hypopnea index and ESS. However, in the elderly group of 60 years and over (n = 16), the variables showed smaller values than did those in the younger group. These results suggest that DPes may be associated with the aggravating process of sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) in the younger patient.