Sleep breathing disorders are common in quadriplegic patients and can be accompanied by significative oxygen desaturations. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the behavior of the oxygen saturation during sleep in 20 patients diagnosed as traumatic cervical tetraplegia admitted at the Julio Diaz National Rehabilitation Center, considering the intensity of the injury according to ASIA scale as well as the behavior of demographic, anthropometric, spiro metrical, oxymetrical variables and the muscle strength in both complete and incomplete injuries.

Ventilatory function and nocturnal oxygen saturation were studied, with findings of higher percent of incomplete injuries (70%) toward the complete ones (30%). There were not significant differences between both groups age, body mass index, neck circumference, neck length, time of injury, espiratory volume in the first second, forced vital capacity, espiratory volume in the first second/forced vital capacity index, vital capacity, maximal inspiratory pressure, and maximal espiratory pressure.

All patients showed a restrictive ventilatory disorder. Though significant oxyhemoglobin desaturations were not found in any case; complete injuries displayed a higher rate of desaturations after an hour sleep than the incomplete ones and they showed a significant negative correlation between the desaturation episode per hour of sleep index, and mean oxygen saturation.