Effectiveness of nasal continuous airway pressure therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Abstract

Summary Objectives A prospective observational study was carried out with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) therapy on the health‐related quality of life (QoL) of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods The patients included in this study were those recently diagnosed with OSA (AHI > 5) and given nCPAP therapy, as well as being referred to a sleep laboratory for an assessment of their sleep disordered breathing. Prior to the start of nCPAP therapy and polysomnography evaluation, patients were asked to complete the validated Quebec sleep questionnaire (QSQ), and their baseline measurements were recorded. Results Among the study population, 14.41% (n = 31) had mild OSA with an apnea and hypopnea index of 5 to 14.9 events/h, while 26.97% (n = 58) had moderate OSA and 40% (n = 86) had severe OSA. The overall average apnea and hypopnea index of the study population was 30.24 ± 9.73 events/h; mild OSA patients had an average apnea and hypopnea index of 10.09 ± 2.65 events/h, moderate OSA patients had 21.48 ± 4.40 events/h, and severe OSA patients had 59.16 ± 22.14 events/h. A significant difference was observed between the scores before treatment and after 6 months of therapy in all domains of the QSQ QoL scores (P < 0.0001). Conclusion Nasal continuous positive airway pressure treatment improved the QoL for patients with mild, moderate, and severe sleep apnea.

A Prospective Study on Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Clinical Profile and Polysomnographic Variables

“…Moreover, over a 4-year period, the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study revealed that for every 1% change in weight, OSA severity changed by about 3% [ 48 ]. According to a prior study, the severity of AHI was found to be correlated with all SpO2 measures ( p < 0.001) [ 49 ]. Recent research suggests that the “hypoxic burden (HB)” specific to sleep apnea, which is the total of individual regions under the oxygen desaturation curve, may be useful in identifying high-risk OSA sufferers.…”