Monitoring of nocturnal oxygen desaturation using pulse oximeter and apnomonitor in patients with chronic pulmonary disease.

The relationship between the degree of nocturnal oxygen desaturation (NOD) and pulmonary hemodynamics, pulmonary function tests, and resting awake blood gases was evaluated in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases (CPD). The severity of NOD correlated with the degree of impairment of pulmonary hemodynamics, but not with pulmonary function tests or resting awake blood gases. NOD was markedly alleviated by oxygen inhalation in CPD patients who did not develop sleep apnea.