Average Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Research Articles

Continuous positive airway pressure compliance in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Sleep apnoea (SA) is associated with accelerated cognitive decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Treatment of SA by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may slow this decline if patients comply with the treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the rate of CPAP compliance in this population. In this single-centre retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care institution, patients with a diagnosis of MCI and SA initiating CPAP between January 2015 and August 2021 were included. Data from the initial sleep recording, the 3-month follow-up and compliance with at least 12months of CPAP were analysed. Compliance was defined as an average CPAP use of at least 4h per night. 55 patients were included (49% women, age 70.7 ± 8.9years, body mass index 28.9 ± 6.5kg/m2). Aetiology of MCI was vascular (45.5%), psychiatric (12.7%) and related to Alzheimer's disease (7.3%), with 47.3% of amnesic disorders and 45.5% of dysexecutive disorders. The MiniMentalState score was 26.7 ± 3.1. SA was mostly obstructive (81.8%) with a mean apnoea-hypopnoea index of 41.1 ± 16.4/h. At 3months, 38 patients were compliant (69%) with a CPAP median use of 5.9h per night and 83% of nights. Self-reported tolerance was better in compliant patients (75.7% vs 38.5% p = 0.017). Thirty-four patients remained compliant at 12months (62%). Our results suggest a high rate of CPAP compliance in patients suffering from MCI. Compliance was related to the device tolerance, emphasizing the need to closely monitor and improve this factor.

0571 Utilization of Self-Efficacy Measure of Sleep Apnea (SEMSA) questionnaire to Predict CPAP Adherence

Abstract Introduction The Self-Efficacy Measure for Sleep Apnea (SEMSA) is a self-administered questionnaire developed to assess pretreatment expectancies between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in adults. Higher values on the three sub-scales of the SEMSA suggest a greater perceived risk of having OSA, more positive beliefs regarding the outcomes of CPAP therapy, and a greater willingness to use CPAP. We examined the utility of the SEMSA in predicting CPAP adherence in a diverse urban population. Methods SEMSA was completed by patients presenting for polysomnography (PSG) over three months. We collected demographic data, body mass index (BMI), marital status, social vulnerability index (SVI), apnea hypopnea index (AHI), and 30-day adherence data from CPAP device download following the initiation of therapy. The outcomes were CPAP average usage per day in the first 30 days (minutes) and the percentage of days with usage over 4 hours. Stata v15 was used for multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses. Results One hundred eighty-eight patients completed the SEMSA, of which 101 were diagnosed with OSA and initiated CPAP. The study sample was middle-aged (mean ± SD, 52.5±13.3 years), with variable OSA severity (AHI 44.8±39.5) and high levels of obesity (BMI 39.5±12.4) and racial diversity (61% Black, 10% White, 18% Hispanic, and 10% other), 47% were men, and 33% were married. The multivariable models found that after adjusting for age, sex, race, marital status, SVI, ESS, and AHI, the SEMSA score was a significant predictor of average CPAP use (linear regression, t-statistic=3.19, p=0.002) and ≥70% CPAP use of ≥4 hours per day (logistic regression, t-statistic=3.23, p=0.002, area under the curve; AUC=0.73). Conclusion The SEMSA score is a strong predictor of CPAP adherence in a diverse urban population. The patients with lower self-efficacy based on the SEMSA should be targeted for early CPAP adherence promoting education and interventions. Support (if any)

Continuous positive airway pressure treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and hypertensive complications in high-risk pregnancy.

To evaluate whether or not continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment in pregnancies complicated by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with a decrease in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. This was a retrospective cohort study of perinatal outcomes in women who underwent objective OSA testing and treatment as part of routine clinical care during pregnancy. Where diagnostic criteria for OSA were reached (respiratory event index (REI) ≥ 5 events per hour), patients were offered CPAP therapy. Obstetrical outcomes were compared between the control group (no OSA), the group with untreated OSA (OSA diagnosed, not CPAP compliant), and the group with treated OSA (OSA diagnosed and CPAP compliant), with CPAP compliance defined as CPAP use ≥ 4h, 70% of the time or greater. A composite hypertension outcome combined diagnoses of gestational hypertension (gHTN) and preeclampsia (PreE) of any severity. The study comprised outcomes from 177 completed pregnancies. Our cohort was characterized by obesity, with average body mass indices > 35kg/m2, and average maternal age > 30years old. CPAP was initiated at an average gestational age of 23weeks (12.1-35.3weeks), and average CPAP use was 5.9h (4-8.5h). The composite hypertension outcome occurred in 43% of those without OSA (N = 77), 64% of those with untreated OSA (N = 77), and 57% of those with treated OSA, compliant with CPAP (N = 23) (p = 0.034). Real-world data in this small study suggest that CPAP therapy may modulate the increased risk of hypertensive complications in pregnancies complicated by OSA.

Sex differences in the effectiveness and affecting factors to adherence of continuous positive airway pressure therapy.

Although sex differences in clinical backgrounds of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are well known, studies of sex differences about the influencing factors on adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) are very sparse. Our aim was to investigate the effects of CPAP use affecting therapeutic adherence in sex differences. We retrospectively assessed demographic data, clinical characteristics, OSA-related symptoms, and effects and adherence of CPAP use in 348 patients (264 males, median age 58years) who continued CPAP for at least 1year. Poor adherence was defined as CPAP dropout within 1year after starting CPAP or the average cumulative CPAP use less than four hours/night. We also studied the predictors or influencing factors of CPAP adherence by multivariate logistic regression analyses. Age was higher and the severity of OSA was lower in female patients. Although the adherence level itself was not significantly different between both sexes, influencing factors were different. OSA severity, such as apnea-hypopnea index and sleepiness, and many effects from CPAP use (respiratory difficulty, difficult adaptation to CPAP use, improved awakening, reduced nocturia, and easy adaptation to CPAP) influenced adherence only in men. Common factors of poor adherence in both sexes were lower age, insomnia by CPAP use, and improved daytime sleepiness. No other specific factors predicted poor adherence in women. We found that there were sex differences in influencing factors on CPAP adherence not only in clinical characteristics of OSA, but also in effectiveness and side effects of CPAP use.

P139 Co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnoea (COMISA): Identifying patients that are responsive to continuous positive airway pressure therapy

Abstract Introduction Co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnoea (COMISA) is a prevalent and debilitating condition that is difficult to treat. COMISA patients have lower average adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy compared to patients with sleep apnoea alone. However, a sub-sample of COMISA patients may show adequate CPAP use that improves both the insomnia and sleep apnoea. It is important to identify this group of CPAP-responsive COMISA patients to guide personalised-medicine approaches. Methods Seventy-three COMISA patients (AHI≥15; ICSD-3 insomnia; 55% male, Age M=57y) completed questionnaires, home-based polysomnography, and one-week sleep diaries before and 6-months after commencing CPAP therapy. No patients accessed CBTi. We investigated baseline predictors of CPAP adherence (min/night) and overall change in Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores during treatment. Results Average CPAP adherence was 205 minutes/night (SD=153). 56% of patients used CPAP at least 4h/night. Average CPAP adherence was predicted by higher baseline AHI (r=0.39), arousal index (r=0.28), N1 sleep (r=0.32) and age (r=0.26), and lower N3 sleep (r=-0.28). The ISI decreased from baseline (17.9, CI=1.2) to 6-month follow-up (11.6, CI=1.3; p<0.001). There was a significant positive association between ISI reduction and CPAP use (r=0.31). 26% of patients reported an ISI<8 at 6-month follow-up. Conclusion Approximately half of COMISA patients show CPAP adherence of ≥4h/night and one quarter experience insomnia remission with CPAP. CPAP use is positively associated with AHI, light sleep, and age at baseline, and reduction of insomnia severity during treatment. Future randomized controlled trials are required to confirm the results of this small un-controlled study.

Various Factors Affecting Short-Term Compliance Rates of CPAP in OSA Patients: in the Age of Insurance Coverage in Korea

Background and Objectives: Although many studies have explored the factors affecting compliance with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the findings remain controversial. This study aimed to analyze CPAP compliance after insurance coverage began in Korea and to investigate what factors influenced CPAP compliance.Materials and Method: The subjects were 1,037 patients who were prescribed a CPAP after polysomnography at the Seoul Sleep Clinic; data were reviewed retrospectively. We classified those that used a CPAP for more than 4 hours per day for 70% or more days per month as into the good compliance group. We compared the ratio of good compliance by gender, position dependence, rapid eye movement (REM) dependence, telemonitoring of CPAP, pressure modification, and OSA severity.Results: There were no statistically significant differences in ratio of good compliance group according to gender, position dependence, REM dependence, or disease severity. When using a fixed CPAP (92.2%) rather than an auto PAP (88.4%), the ratio of patients in the good compliance group was significantly higher. Non-positioner and fixed CPAP users showed significantly longer average usage time.Conclusion: In a 3-month short-term follow-up study of CPAP compliance, the telemonitoring group and those using a fixed CPAP showed a higher ratio of good compliance. Average CPAP usage time was longer when using a fixed CPAP and in non-positioners. As age increased, CPAP usage time was longer, and the average compliance rate tended to increase.

Using a peer mentorship approach improved the use of neonatal continuous positive airway pressure and related outcomes in Malawi.

This study evaluated whether peer mentorship was an effective and sustainable way of improving and maintaining knowledge and skills on neonatal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in a low-resource setting with a high turnover of healthcare providers. The Malawi Ministry of Health recruited five nurses with considerable CPAP experience and provided them with mentorship training from July to August 2014. The mentors then provided 1-week on-site mentorship for 113 colleagues at 10 secondary and one tertiary hospital where gaps in neonatal CPAP use had been identified. CPAP competencies and outcomes were compared 3months before and after each mentorship. In the 3months before and after mentorship, the average CPAP competency score increased from 32±4% to 97±2%, while CPAP usage increased from 7% to 23% among eligible neonates. Survival following CPAP mentorship increased from 23% to 35%, but this was not significant due to the small sample size. Both mentees and mentors reported useful transfers of knowledge and skills when using CPAP. Mentorship effectively bridged the knowledge and skills gaps among health workers and increased CPAP use, competency scores and survival rates.

Cognitive and behavioral therapy for insomnia increases the use of continuous positive airway pressure therapy in obstructive sleep apnea participants with comorbid insomnia: a randomized clinical trial.

Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) commonly co-occur which makes OSA difficult to treat with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). We conducted a randomized controlled trial in participants with OSA and co-occurring insomnia to test the hypothesis that initial treatment with cognitive and behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i), versus treatment as usual (TAU) would improve insomnia symptoms and increase subsequent acceptance and use of CPAP. One hundred and forty-five participants with OSA (apnea-hypopnea index ≥ 15) and comorbid insomnia were randomized to either four sessions of CBT-i, or TAU, before commencing CPAP therapy until 6 months post-randomization. Primary between-group outcomes included objective average CPAP adherence and changes in objective sleep efficiency by 6 months. Secondary between-group outcomes included rates of immediate CPAP acceptance/rejection, and changes in; sleep parameters, insomnia severity, and daytime impairments by 6 months. Compared to TAU, participants in the CBT-i group had 61 min greater average nightly adherence to CPAP (95% confidence interval [CI] = 9 to 113; p = 0.023, d = 0.38) and higher initial CPAP treatment acceptance (99% vs. 89%; p = 0.034). The CBT-i group showed greater improvement of global insomnia severity, and dysfunctional sleep-related cognitions by 6 months (both: p < 0.001), and greater improvement in sleep impairment measures immediately following CBT-i. There were no between-group differences in sleep outcomes, or daytime impairments by 6 months. In OSA participants with comorbid insomnia, CBT-i prior to initiating CPAP treatment improves CPAP use and insomnia symptoms compared to commencing CPAP without CBT-i. OSA patients should be evaluated for co-occurring insomnia and considered for CBT-i before commencing CPAP therapy. Treating comorbid insomnia with obstructive sleep apnea (COMSIA) study: A new treatment strategy for patients with combined insomnia and sleep apnea, https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=365184 Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12613001178730. Universal Trial Number: U1111-1149-4230.

Intensive Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Adherence Program During Stroke Rehabilitation.

Background and Purpose- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea may improve stroke recovery, but adherence is poor. We assessed the effectiveness of an intensive CPAP adherence program during and after inpatient stroke rehabilitation on 3-month adherence and stroke recovery. Methods- In a single-arm study, 90 stroke rehabilitation patients were enrolled into an intensive CPAP adherence program. CPAP was continued after a run-in among qualifying patients with evidence of obstructive sleep apnea. The primary outcome was CPAP adherence, defined as ≥4 hours of use on ≥70% of days, over 3 months. Results- A total of 62 patients qualified for continued CPAP and 52 of these were willing to continue CPAP after discharge from rehabilitation. At 3 months, the average daily CPAP use was 4.7 hours (SD 2.6), and 32/52 (62%) patients were adherent. Factors significantly associated with adherence included more severe stroke, aphasia, and white race. Compared with nonadherent patients, adherent patients experienced greater improvements in the cognitive component of the Functional Independence Measure ( P=0.02) and in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ( P=0.03). Conclusions- This intensive CPAP adherence program initiated during stroke rehabilitation can lead to CPAP adherence in the majority of patients with evidence of obstructive sleep apnea, including those with more severe stroke and aphasia, and may promote recovery. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT02809430.

Continuous positive airway pressure effect on visual acuity in patients with type 2 diabetes and obstructive sleep apnoea: a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

We sought to establish whether continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in people with type 2 diabetes and diabetic macular oedema (DMO) improved visual acuity.We randomly assigned 131 eligible patients aged 30–85 years from 23 UK centres with significant DMO causing visual impairment (LogMAR letters identified ≥39 and ≤78, score 0.92–0.14) plus severe OSA on screening to either usual ophthalmology care (n=67) or usual ophthalmology care plus CPAP (n=64) for 12 months.Mean age of participants was 64 years, 73% male, mean body mass index 35.0 kg·m−2. Mean 4% oxygen desaturation index was 36 events·h−1. There was no significant difference in the visual acuity at 12 months between the CPAP group and the control group (mean LogMAR 0.33 (95% CI 0.29–0.37) versus 0.31 (95% CI 0.27–0.35); p=0.39), and no significant correlation between change in LogMAR and average CPAP use. The median±sd (range) daily CPAP use was 3.33±2.25 (0–7.93) h at 3 months, 3.19±2.54 (0–8.07) h at 6 months and 3.21±2.70 (0–7.98) h at 12 months.CPAP therapy for OSA did not improve visual acuity in people with type 2 diabetes and DMO compared with usual care alone over 12 months.

Predictors of long-term adherence to continuous positive airway pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea and acute coronary syndrome.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), but an evaluation of CPAP adherence is rarely carried out among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The goals of the study are to analyse long-term adherence and identify the predictors of non-compliance with CPAP treatment for patients with non-sleepy OSA and ACS. This is an ancillary study of the ISAACC study, which is a multicentre, prospective, open-label, parallel, randomized, and controlled trial (NCT01335087) in patients with hospital admission for ACS. For the purpose of this study, only non-sleepy patients with moderate or severe OSA and randomized to receive CPAP treatment were analysed (n=357). Non-compliance was defined as CPAP dropout or average cumulative CPAP use of <4 hours/night. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of CPAP adherence. Adherence to treatment was 35.3% at 12 months. According to the unadjusted analysis, higher apnoea-hypopnea index (AHI) (P<0.001) and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) (P=0.001) were associated with a lower risk of non-compliance. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that high AHI (P=0.0051), high amounts of smoking pack-year (P=0.0170), and long intensive care unit (ICU) stays (P=0.0263) were associated with lower odds of non-compliance. It also showed a significant interaction between ACS history and age (P=0.0131), such that young patients with their first ACS showed significantly lower odds of CPAP non-compliance than patients with recurrent ACS and significantly lower odds of CPAP non-compliance were associated with ageing only in patients with recurrent ACS. Protective factors against non-compliance with CPAP treatment in non-sleepy patients with ACS were illness severity (high values of AHI or ICU stay length) or smoking amount. Patients with no previous history of ACS showed lower odds of CPAP non-compliance than patients with a recurrent ACS with younger age.

CPAP Adherence is Associated With Attentional Improvements in a Group of Primarily Male Patients With Moderate to Severe OSA.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a widespread condition that adversely affects physical health and cognitive functioning. The prevailing treatment for OSA is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), but therapeutic benefits are dependent on consistent use. Our goal was to investigate the relationship between CPAP adherence and measures of sustained attention in patients with OSA. Our hypothesis was that the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) would be sensitive to attention-related improvements resulting from CPAP use. This study was a secondary analysis of a larger clinical trial. Treatment adherence was determined from CPAP use data. Validated sleep-related questionnaires and a sustained-attention and alertness test (PVT) were administered to participants at baseline and at the 6-month time point. Over a 6-month time period, the average CPAP adherence was 3.32 h/night (standard deviation [SD] = 2.53), average improvement in PVT minor lapses was -4.77 (SD = 13.2), and average improvement in PVT reaction time was -73.1 milliseconds (standard deviation = 211). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that higher CPAP adherence was significantly associated with a greater reduction in minor lapses in attention after 6 months of continuous treatment with CPAP therapy (β = -0.72, standard error = 0.34, P = .037). The results of this study showed that higher levels of CPAP adherence were associated with significant improvements in vigilance. Because the PVT is a performance-based measure that is not influenced by prior learning and is not subjective, it may be an important supplement to patient self-reported assessments. Name: Effect of Self-Management on Improving Sleep Apnea Outcomes, URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00310310, Identifier: NCT00310310.

Relationships and CPAP adherence among women with obstructive sleep apnea

BackgroundObstructive sleep apnea contributes to daytime sleepiness, poor quality of life and increased risk for heart disease and hypertension among women. Continuous positive airway pressure improves sleepiness and quality of life and may reduce health risks but few studies have evaluated predictors of adherence among women. The goal of this study was to evaluate the role of relationship factors in women’s continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) adherence and change in relationship quality among married/partnered women.MethodsWomen recently diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea completed relationship quality, social support questionnaires and spousal involvement interviews. CPAP adherence was collected at 12 weeks.ResultsData were available for 16 women. Average CPAP adherence was 3.6 SD = 2.7 h per night. Women with higher reports of social support had higher adherence. None of the unmarried/partnered participants were adherent to the recommendation of CPAP use ≥ 4 h per night at 12 week follow-up. Marital status was not associated with demographic, disease severity or social support measures. Relationship conflict among married/partnered participants was associated with lower adherence. In qualitative surveys, encouragement and support were the two most commonly reported types of partner involvement. Relationship quality did not change between baseline and 3 months.ConclusionResults suggest relationship factors are robust predictors of CPAP adherence among women with obstructive sleep apnea.

Impact of bariatric surgery on obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnea syndrome in morbidly obese patients.

Background:Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is commonly associated with morbid obesity. Weight loss following bariatric surgery results in resolution or improvement of OSA. However, few studies have done objective assessment of the impact of bariatric surgery on OSA.Objective:The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of bariatric surgery on OSA.Setting:The study was conducted in the teaching institution of a tertiary care centre.Methods:Twenty-seven morbidly obese patients seeking bariatric surgery were administered Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) health questionnaire and subjected to overnight polysomnography. Repeat assessment using ESS and polysomnography was done at 3–6 months after surgery.Results:Mean age was 42.4 ± 10.5 years, and majority (77.8%) were female. The mean pre-operative weight and body mass index (BMI) were 126.4 ± 24.9 kg and 48.4 ± 8.2 kg/m2, respectively. Nearly 29.6% patients had symptoms of excessive daytime somnolence based on ESS score and overnight polysomnography detected the presence of OSA in 96.3% patients, of which 51.9% had severe OSA. At mean follow-up of 5.2 ± 2.5 months after surgery, mean weight and BMI decreased to 107.4 ± 24.5 kg and 41.2 ± 8.2 kg/m2, respectively. Mean ESS score and mean apnoea–hypopnea index declined from 8.9 ± 3.2 to 4.03 ± 2.15 (P < 0.001) and from 31.8 ± 20.4 to 20.2 ± 23.1 (P = 0.007), respectively. Number of patients requiring continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy declined from 15 to 3 and average CPAP requirement came down from 11.3 cm of H2O to 6 cm of H2O.Conclusion:OSA was present in a significant proportion of patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery resulted in significant improvement in both subjective and objective parameters of OSA.

Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Stroke Rehabilitation: A Pilot Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) predicts poor functional outcome after stroke and increases the risk for recurrent stroke. Less is known about continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on stroke recovery. In a pilot randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial, adult stroke rehabilitation patients were assigned to auto-titrating or sham CPAP without diagnostic testing for OSA. Change in Functional Independence Measure (FIM), a measure of disability, was assessed between rehabilitation admission and discharge. Over 18 months, 40 patients were enrolled and 10 withdrew from the study: 7 from active and 3 from sham CPAP (p > 0.10). For the remaining 30 patients, median duration of CPAP use was 14 days. Average CPAP use was 3.7 h/night, with at least 4 h nightly use among 15 patients. Adherence was not influenced by treatment assignment or stroke severity. In intention-to-treat analyses (n = 40), the median change in FIM favored active CPAP over sham but did not reach statistical significance (34 versus 26, p = 0.25), except for the cognitive component (6 versus 2.5, p = 0.04). The on-treatment analyses (n = 30) yielded similar results (total FIM: 32 versus 26, p = 0.11; cognitive FIM: 6 versus 2, p = 0.06). A sham-controlled CPAP trial among stroke rehabilitation patients was feasible in terms of recruitment, treatment without diagnostic testing and adequate blinding-though was limited by study retention and CPAP adherence. Despite these limitations, a trend towards a benefit of CPAP on recovery was evident. Tolerance and adherence must be improved before the full benefits of CPAP on recovery can be assessed in larger trials.

Upper Airway Variation and Frequent Alcohol Consumption Can Affect Compliance With Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.

ObjectivesCompliance with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment remains a primary concern for improving treatment outcomes of obstructive sleep apnea. There are few studies that have considered the role of upper airway anatomy on the compliance with CPAP. We hypothesized that upper airway anatomy would influence the compliance with CPAP.MethodsOne hundred out of 161 consecutive patients were enrolled in this study. The following possible determinants were tested against CPAP use: demographic and anthropometric data, minimal cross-sectional area on acoustic rhinometry, cephalometric and polysomnographic data, questionnaires of Epworth sleepiness scale and Beck depression index, and histories of previous upper airway surgery, degree of nasal obstruction, daily cigarette consumption, and weekly frequency of alcohol intake.ResultsUnivariate analysis showed that histories of previous upper airway surgery and less frequent alcohol consumption, and longer mandibular plane-hyoid length (MP-H) on cephalometry were associated with longer average daily CPAP use. After adjustment for the confounding factors with multiple linear regression analysis, alcohol consumption and MP-H were still associated with the compliance with CPAP significantly.ConclusionTo improve compliance with CPAP, careful evaluations of upper airway problems and life style are important before initiating CPAP.

Effects of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Cognitive and Functional Outcome of Stroke Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in stroke patients is associated with worse functional and cognitive status during inpatient rehabilitation. We hypothesized that a four-week period of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment would improve cognitive and functional outcomes. We performed a randomized controlled trial in stroke patients admitted to a neurorehabilitation unit. Patients were assigned to rehabilitation treatment as usual (control group) or to CPAP treatment (CPAP group). Primary outcomes were cognitive status measured by neuropsychological examination, and functional status measured by two neurological scales and a measure of activities of daily living (ADL). Secondary measures included sleepiness, sleep quality, fatigue, and mood. Tests were performed at baseline and after the four-week intervention period. We randomly assigned 20 patients to the CPAP group and 16 patients to the control group. The average CPAP compliance was 2.5 hours per night. Patients in the CPAP group showed significantly greater improvement in the cognitive domains of attention and executive functioning than the control group. CPAP compliance was associated with greater improvement in cognitive functioning. CPAP did not result in measurable improvement on measures of neurological status or ADL, or on any of the secondary measures. CPAP treatment improves cognitive functioning of stroke patients with OSA. A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 467.

Long-term adherence to continuous positive airway pressure therapy in non-sleepy sleep apnea patients

ObjectiveThe effectiveness of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy greatly depends on consistent use. However, data regarding adherence in non-sleepy obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess long-term adherence and predictors of CPAP compliance in a large sample of non-sleepy OSA patients. MethodsWe conducted a prospective, multicenter study comprising 357 non-sleepy patients (Epworth Sleepiness Scale score <11) with moderate-to-severe OSA (apnea–hypopnea index [AHI] of ≥20) who began CPAP therapy between May 2004 and May 2006; follow-up ended in May 2009. Non-compliance was scored as CPAP dropout or average cumulative CPAP use of <4 hours per night. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of poor CPAP adherence. ResultsPatients were followed up for a median of four years (interquartile range [IQR] = 3.0–4.4). At the end of the study period, 230 patients (64.4%) fulfilled the criteria for good CPAP compliance, whereas 127 patients (35.6%) were considered non-compliant. The median CPAP use was five hours per night (interquartile range = 2.18–6.25). Multivariate analysis showed that interactions between the AHI and the percentage of nighttime spent with an O2 saturation of <90% (TC90) (p = 0.010) and between the AHI and hypertension at baseline (p = 0.029) predicted long-term compliance with CPAP. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that CPAP treatment is feasible in non-sleepy, moderate-to-severe OSA patients. Good CPAP adherence was predicted by greater OSA severity as measured by both the AHI and TC90 and by the presence of hypertension at baseline in patients with higher AHI levels.

Financial incentive of home continuous positive airway pressure machine use in the inpatient hospital setting

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as a significant factor in perioperative and inpatient health. Because of this, hospitalized OSA patients are encouraged to utilize continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy while inpatients. We investigated the cost difference of patient-owned versus hospital-provided CPAP machine use by admitted adult patients with OSA. Prospective cohort study at a tertiary academic center. All new-patient admissions >18 years of age who were prescribed CPAP while inpatients over a 2-month period were included. Demographic information was collected, and cost analysis was performed. CPAP was used for 162 (1.2%) admissions. Mean patient age was 59 ± 13 years; the majority were white (56.8%) and male (64.2%). Average CPAP utilization was 5.3 ± 5.5 nights. The differential cost per day for patients using hospital-provided CPAP was $416.10 more than for patients using home CPAP machines. This cost included direct costs of an extended respiratory therapy (RT) initial visit, machine rental fee ($27.50), and additional RT evaluation time (mean, 85-145 relative value units). The base initial visit was the same for all patients. Over the 2-month study period, the total cost difference in charges was $195,912; this extrapolates to $1,175,471 yearly. This is the first study to characterize the magnitude of cost savings from utilization of home versus hospital-provided CPAP machines in patients requiring inpatient CPAP machine use. The use of patient-owned CPAP machines may reflect an opportunity to provide cheaper care while maintaining high patient safety and quality care. The actual economic impact to an individual hospital would vary based on the insurance payer mix.

P22 Do obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients with normal Epworth scores comply with Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy?

IntroductionCurrent recommendations suggest CPAP treatment in patients with OSA and excessive daytime sleepiness. The Mosaic trial showed a reduction in Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS) in minimally symptomatic patients although there...