PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - J R Catterall
AU  - G B Rhind
AU  - I C Stewart
AU  - K F Whyte
AU  - C M Shapiro
AU  - N J Douglas
TI  - Effect of sleep deprivation on overnight bronchoconstriction in nocturnal asthma.
AID  - 10.1136/thx.41.9.676
DP  - 1986 Sep 01
TA  - Thorax
PG  - 676--680
VI  - 41
IP  - 9
4099  - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/41/9/676.short
4100  - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/41/9/676.full
SO  - Thorax1986 Sep 01; 41
AB  - Nocturnal cough and wheeze are common in asthma. The cause of nocturnal asthma is unknown and there is conflicting evidence on whether sleep is a factor. Twelve adult asthmatic subjects with nocturnal wheeze were studied on two occasions: on one night subjects were allowed to sleep and on the other they were kept awake all night, wakefulness being confirmed by electroencephalogram. Every patient developed bronchoconstriction overnight both on the asleep night, when peak expiratory flow (PEF) fell from a mean (SE) of 418 (40) 1 min-1 at 10 pm to 270 (46) 1 min-1 in the morning, and on the awake night (PEF 10 pm 465 (43), morning 371 (43) 1 min-1). The morning values of PEF were, however, higher (p less than 0.1) after the awake night and both the absolute and the percentage overnight falls in PEF were greater when the patients slept (asleep night 38% (6%), awake night 20% (4%); p less than 0.01). This study suggests that sleep is an important factor in determining overnight bronchoconstriction in patients with nocturnal asthma.