SELF-REPORTED VS MEASURED COMPLIANCE WITH NASAL CPAP FOR OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP-APNEA

To estimate reliability of self-reported compliance with nasal continu ous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apne a (OSA), we studied 63 OSA patients aged 53.7 +/- 1.2 years (mean +/- SEM) with an apnea hypopnea index (AHI) of 50.8 +/- 2.9 and lowest sle ep SaO2 of 65.6 +/- 2.3 percent receiving nasal CPAP for 539 +/- 44 da ys. During a follow-up polysomnography (PSG) on the pressure prescribe d for home therapy (10.3 +/- 0.3 cm H2O), the hours of operation shown on the built-in time counter of the patients' devices were read to de termine objective compliance by dividing the run time by the days sinc e initiation of therapy. This parameter was compared with subjective c ompliance reported in a self-administered questionnaire. Mean measured use time was 4.9 +/- 0.3 h per night, whereas reported daily use time calculated from reported nights a week and hours a night was 6.1 +/- 0.3 h per night. As predominantly patients with poor compliance misest imated daily use time, we conclude that self-reports are unable to dis tinguish between compliant and noncompliant patients.