Non-invasive respiratory monitoring during wakefulness and sleep in pre- and postmenopausal women

• Published in: Respiratory physiology & neurobiology 2006-01, Vol.150 (1), p.66-74
• Main Authors: Aittokallio, Jenni, Virkki, Arho, Aittokallio, Tero, Saaresranta, Tarja, Polo-Kantola, Päivi, Polo, Olli
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aging; Air breathing; Analysis of Variance; Arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous - methods; Body Mass Index; Carbon Dioxide - metabolism; Case-Control Studies; End-tidal carbon dioxide; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Menopause; Middle Aged; Monitoring, Physiologic; Plethysmography - methods; Polysomnography - methods; Postmenopause - physiology; Premenopause - physiology; Pulmonary Gas Exchange - physiology; Respiration; Respiratory system: anatomy, metabolism, gas exchange, ventilatory mechanics, respiratory hemodynamics; Sleep; Sleep Stages - physiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tidal Volume - physiology; Transcutaneous carbon dioxide; Vertebrates: respiratory system; Wakefulness - physiology
• ISSN: 1569-9048; 1878-1519
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2005.03.012

Menopause and aging cause hormonal changes with respiratory consequences. The aim of the present study was to investigate the physiological changes in respiration during wakefulness and sleep across menopause in non-patient population using non-invasive measurements of blood and tissue gases. The arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation (SaO 2), heart rate, end-tidal partial carbon dioxide tension (EtCO 2) and transcutaneous partial carbon dioxide tension (TcCO 2) were measured during wakefulness and sleep in thirteen pairs of BMI-matched pre- and postmenopausal women. Postmenopausal women had lower SaO 2 during sleep than during wakefulness, whereas premenopausal women maintained their wakefulness SaO 2 levels also during sleep. EtCO 2 levels did not change either between wakefulness and sleep or between premenopausal and postmenopausal groups. TcCO 2 levels increased from wakefulness to sleep in both groups and the increase was greater in the postmenopausal group. The impact of sleep on the non-invasive measurements of blood and tissue gases is stronger in postmenopausal women.