Research projects

The mission of Unesta is to help patients who suffer from a disease or syndrome to which there is not enough knowledge in the medical field to provide diagnosis or treatment.

The strategy to yield this goal is that Unesta doctors and researchers closely work together with the patient for better understanding of the underlying abnormality. In the collaboration between the patient and researchers it is important to document what makes the symptoms worse and what brings alleviation. Based on the signs and symptoms of an individual subject the researchers build a physiological model to help testing feasible medical interventions. Once success with a new innovative therapy has been reached in the index patient, the therapy will be tested in larger group of patients suffering from similar symptoms.

The research focus is in sleep and breathing. Unesta pursues studies in insomnia, restless legs, sleep apnea, heavy snoring, hyperventilation, panic syndromes, sleep walking, diabetes, heart failure and hypertension.

List of publications

Nocturnal transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension in postmenopausal estrogen users and non-users. Aittokallio J, Hiissa J, Saaresranta T, Polo-Kantola P, Aittokallio T, Polo O. Menopause Int. 2009 Sep;15(3):107-12.

Transcutaneous carbon dioxide profile during sleep reveals metabolic risk factors in post-menopausal females. Aittokallio J, Saaresranta T, Virkki A, Karppinen N, Heinonen OJ, Aittokallio T, Polo O. Eur Respir J. 2009 Nov;34(5):1132-9.

Overnight variability in transcutaneous carbon dioxide predicts vascular impairment in women. Aittokallio J, Polo O, Hiissa J, Virkki A, Toikka J, Raitakari O, Saaresranta T, Aittokallio T. Exp Physiol. 2008 Jul;93(7):880-91.

Gender differences in age and BMI distributions in partial upper airway obstruction during sleep. Anttalainen U, Saaresranta T, Kalleinen N, Aittokallio J, Vahlberg T, Polo O. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2007 Nov 15;159(2):219-26.

CPAP adherence and partial upper airway obstruction during sleep. Anttalainen U, Saaresranta T, Kalleinen N, Aittokallio J, Vahlberg T, Polo O. Sleep Breath. 2007 Sep;11(3):171-6.

Non-invasive respiratory monitoring during wakefulness and sleep in pre- and postmenopausal women. Aittokallio J, Virkki A, Aittokallio T, Saaresranta T, Polo-Kantola P, Polo O. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2006 Jan 25;150(1):66-74.

Impact of menopause on the manifestation and severity of sleep-disordered breathing. Anttalainen U, Saaresranta T, Aittokallio J, Kalleinen N, Vahlberg T, Virtanen I, Polo O. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2006;85(11):1381-8.