Aims: To assess whether kidney transplantation improves sleep-related breathing disorders associated with hemodialysis. Methods: A prospective study was carried out using full-night polysomnography. Nine hemodialysis patients (7 men and 2 women, aged 42 ± 16.2 years, BMI 26 ± 3.7) who later received a successful kidney transplantation were evaluated. Main sleep quality and respiratory variables were recorded: number of dips in oxygen saturation (SaO2) ≥3% per hour of sleep; percentage of sleep time with SaO2 <90%; percentage of sleep time in apnea and hypopnea, and sleep apnea/hypopnea index (AHI). Results: After kidney transplantation, the AHI improved in 8 of the 9 patients (10 ± 10.7 vs. 4.9 ± 6.1, p = 0.029). A decrease in the percentage of sleep time in apnea/hypopnea (5 ± 6.8 vs. 0.7 ± 1.1%, p = 0.008) and a reduction in the number of desaturations (25 ± 26 vs. 12 ± 11.2%, p = 0.010) were observed. Conclusions: Kidney transplantation improved respiratory events and nocturnal SaO2 in hemodialysis patients.
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