Continuous Positive Airway Pressure-induced Improvement in Arousal and Nocturia in Patients with Stroke：A Case Report / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

ABSTRACT

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is a known risk factor for cerebral stroke and other cardiovascular diseases；approximately 50% of patients with cerebral stroke subsequently develop sleep-related breathing disorders. Obstructive SAS (OSAS) is the most common form of SAS. Concomitant SAS is considered a poor prognostic factor in patients who undergo cerebral stroke rehabilitation；however, many patients remain undiagnosed. We report the case of a 69-year-old woman who was admitted to the convalescent rehabilitation ward with a diagnosis of cerebral hemorrhage. Results of the STOP-Bang questionnaire administered upon admission revealed that the patient was at a high risk for SAS, and she was subsequently diagnosed with OSAS based on simple respiratory function tests. Nighttime continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy led to improvement in the patient's daytime awakening and nocturnal frequency, and her rehabilitation treatment became easier. In addition to obstruction of the upper airway, nocturnal rostral fluid shift is implicated in the pathophysiology of OSAS-induced nocturia (polyuria), and the combination of exercise and CPAP therapy may serve as a useful treatment strategy in such cases.