Chronic REM-sleep deprivation induced laryngopharyngeal reflux in rats: A preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of chronic REM-sleep deprivation with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and its mechanism.

METHODS

Forty healthy male SD rats (body weight 250-280 g) were randomly divided into four groups. The first three ones were test group, which underwent REM-sleep deprivation with different duration of time by modified multiplatform water surface method. The last group was the control one having normal sleep. All the animals were performed Dx-pH monitoring when finishing sleep deprivation, and sacrificed to study the gastric residual rate (GRR) and small intestine peristalsis (SPR) rate by charcoal meal method.

RESULTS

At prone position, the reflux incidence in the test groups fairly increased with the duration of sleep deprivation (p<0.05). The total number of reflux episodes at prone position in the test group rats with 3 months duration of sleep deprivation was significantly increased compared with that in the control ones (p<0.05). GRR in rats experiencing sleep deficiency for different duration all reduced significantly when compared to the control group (p<0.05). GRR and SPR presented continuous decline tendency with the duration of sleep deprivation (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

It is suggested that chronic sleep deficiency could cause LPR in rats, which might result from the uncoordinated digestive tract motility caused by dysfunction of central nervous system after chronic REM-sleep deprivation. Our results implied that chronic REM-sleep deprivation might be one of the causes of LPR. Addressing sleep problems might help to decrease the prevalence of LPR and enhance its treatment efficacy.