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History of Chronic Alcohol Abuse Is Associated with Increased Nighttime Hypoxemia in Older Men
Author(s) -
Vitiello Michael V,
Prinz Patricia N,
Personius Janelle P,
Nuccio Maureen A,
Ries Richard K,
Koerker Richard M
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1987.tb01326.x
Subject(s) - hypoxemia , alcohol , medicine , blood alcohol , alcohol abuse , anesthesia , psychiatry , poison control , injury prevention , biology , medical emergency , biochemistry
The all‐night blood oxygen saturations (SaO 2 ) of 19 older abstaining male alcoholics and 19 healthy age‐matched controls were recorded. The alcohol group had significantly lower nighttime mean and minimum oxygen saturations, significantly greater absolute (mean‐minimum) SaO 2 desaturations, and significantly more desaturations below 90% compared with the control group. Additionally, the alcohol group had significantly more individuals with nighttime SaO 2 means below 95% and nighttime SaO 2 minimums below 90%. Finally, within the alcohol group, alcohol history was found to significantly correlate with nighttime mean and minimum SaO 2 and absolute SaO 2 desaturation. This preliminary study finds evidence that chronic alcohol abuse may predispose an individual to nighttime hypoxemia, and, inferentially, to sleep apnea. However, the effect is modest and it will need to be confirmed in larger, more carefully controlled studies.