We observed significant gender-related differences in presenting symptoms of patients with sleep disordered breathing at a tertiary level. These differences should be taken into consideration in clinical evaluation of women with suspected sleep disordered breathing.

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E Ef ff fe ec ct ts s o of f c co om mb bi in ne ed d i in ns sp pi ir ra at to or ry y m mu us sc cl le e a an nd d c cy yc cl le e e er rg go om me et te er r t tr ra ai in ni in ng g o on n e ex xe er rc ci is se e p pe er rf fo or rm ma an nc ce e i in n p pa at ti ie en nt ts s w wi it th h C CO OP PD D To determine whether inspiratory muscle training could intensify the known beneficial effects of cycle ergometer training on exercise performance in these patients, we compared the effect of an 8 week inspiratory muscle training combined with cycle ergometer training with that of an 8 week cycle ergometer training alone on inspiratory muscle performance and general exercise capacity. Patients were randomly assigned to the two training groups; 21 patients received additional inspiratory muscle training (Group 1) and 21 did not (Group 2). Maximal sniff assessed oesophageal and transdiaphragmatic pressures served as parameters for global inspiratory muscle strength and diaphragmatic strength, respectively. The duration for which the patient could breathe against a constant inspiratory pressure load was used as an index of inspiratory muscle endurance. Exercise capacity was determined by an incremental symptom-limited cycle ergometer test.After the training period, inspiratory muscle performance improved significantly in the patients with inspiratory muscle training, but not in those without. Both training regimens increased maximal power output and oxygen uptake, but this improvement was significantly greater in the patients with inspiratory muscle training than in those without.We conclude that inspiratory muscle training in addition to cycle ergometer training, can intensify the beneficial effects of cycle ergometer training on exercise performance in COPD patients.