Sleep apnea historical perspective
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Saarah T. Alkhairy, M.D.
Overview
Sleep apnea was initially referred to as Pickwickian syndrome by William Osler, who was a famous physician in the early 20th century. He described the clinical picture of an adult with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome using the character - Joe, "the fat boy" from the Charles Dickens novel - The Pickwick Papers. The introduction of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was first described in 1981 by Colin Sullivan and associates in Sydney, Australia.[1]
Historical Perspective
- The clinical picture of this condition has long been recognized as a character trait, without an understanding of the disease process
- The term "Pickwickian syndrome" that is sometimes used for the syndrome was coined by the famous early 20th century physician, William Osler, who must have been a reader of Charles Dickens. The description of Joe, "the fat boy" in Dickens's novel The Pickwick Papers, is an accurate clinical picture of an adult with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
- The early reports in the medical literature described individuals who were very severely affected, often presenting with severe hypoxemia, hypercapnia and congestive heart failure
- The management of obstructive sleep apnea was revolutionized with the introduction of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), first described in 1981 by Colin Sullivan and associates in Sydney, Australia.[2]
- The first models were bulky and noisy, but the design rapidly improved
- By the late 1980s CPAP was widely adopted
- The availability of an effective treatment stimulated a search for affected individuals
- This led to the establishment of hundreds of specialized clinics dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders
References
- ↑ Sullivan CE, Issa FG, Berthon-Jones M, Eves L. (1981). "Reversal of obstructive sleep apnoea by continuous positive airway pressure applied through the nares". Lancet. 1 (8225): 862–5. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(81)92140-1. PMID 6112294. Unknown parameter
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ignored (help) - ↑ Sullivan CE, Issa FG, Berthon-Jones M, Eves L. (1981). "Reversal of obstructive sleep apnoea by continuous positive airway pressure applied through the nares". Lancet. 1 (8225): 862–5. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(81)92140-1. PMID 6112294. Unknown parameter
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ignored (help)