Nocturnal oxygen desaturation in patients with sickle cell anemia

M. B. Scharf, J. S. Lobel, E. Caldwell, B. F. Cameron, M. Kramer, J. De Marchis and C. Paine

The sleep of two patients with sickle cell disease was punctuated by periods with notably reduced arterial O2 saturation despite simultaneous normal respiratory rates. The O2 levels returned to baseline during intermittent wakefulness. Gas exchange patterns during sleep may contribute to the morbidity of sickle cell disease.