A group of 7 healthy male subjects was studied in regard to sleep stages and 24 h plasma cortisol and growth hormone patterns during the 4 seasons of the year in an Arctic environment (Tromsø, Norway). No difference in total sleep or sleep stage per cents was found for any of the yearly seasons. A small but statistical significant increase in mean plasma cortisol concentration and amount secreted for 24 h was found for the autumn-winter seasons, as compared with the spring and summer. However, no difference in the circadian curve of cortisol hormonal pattern was found. All subjects secreted growth hormone shortly after sleep onset at night and no difference was found as a function of season of the year.

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The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LUPP) performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting. No procedure included tonsillectomy. Obstruction related mainly to the velopharyngeal segment of the airway was defined in 16 consecutive patients by clinical examination, nocturnal polysomnography and pressure measurements. The mean follow-up period was 7 months, range 3-16 months. Using five pressure sensors, four separate upper airway segments could be defined. The preoperative location of obstructive segments in obstructive apneas was proximal and was identified in the velopharyngeal segments in 90% of the patients. This was the case in 92% of the patients with hypopneas. After LUPP, there were statistically significant improvements in the duration of respiratory events (P < 0.02), incidence of sleep with snoring (P < 0.001), apnea-hypopnea index (P < 0.01), microarousal index (P < 0.02) and the mean duration of non-rapid eye movement sleep with oxygen saturation < 80% (P < 0.0001). Four patients still had proximal obstructions after LUPP, but these were clinically tolerable.

Twelve healthy volunteers were given either midazolam 15 mg or nitrazepam 5 mg for 7 consecutive days in a randomized cross-over trial. Self-assessment of sleep, mood or condition on awakening and adverse effects was performed, and the volunteers underwent evaluation of psychomotor performance. Hypnotic effect, judged by the classical sleep variables, showed that the drugs were more or less equal and were superior to placebo. Nitrazepam consistently produced an impaired condition on awakening and also clearly displayed a spectrum of adverse motor effects. Motor tests revealed impairment induced by both drugs, but, in the midazolam group the effect subsided during the trial period. Both drugs had a significant effect on memory, midazolam appearing to perturb certain memory functions to a greater extent than did nitrazepam. The residual plasma concentration of midazolam 11 h after treatment correlated well with the scores obtained in several of the psychomotor tests, whereas plasma nitrazepam levels were not related to performance in any subtest. When discontinued neither drugs, induced any rebound phenomenon. However, the adverse effects of nitrazepam appeared to be carried over into the adjacent placebo period.