Two months follow up of auto-CPAP treatment in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea

Background-Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) with fixed mask press ure is the current standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). A uto-CPAP devices apply at any time the minimally required pressure to norma lise breathing and may improve patient comfort and compliance. We present a n open descriptive study of auto-CPAP treatment at home in patients previou sly managed with conventional CPAP. Methods-Fifteen patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), previously tr eated for at least one year with standard CPAP, were followed prospectively for a two month period on auto-CPAP. Outcome measures were both subjective evaluation by the patients and objective (polysomnographic) data obtained at one and two months of follow up. Results-The Epworth sleepiness score did not change significantly between b aseline and follow up after one and two months and no systematic changes in CPAP related side effects were reported. Compared with the baseline polyso mnographic values without treatment, a significant improvement in both resp iratory and sleep parameters was observed during auto-CPAP. These results w ere not significantly different from those obtained with standard CPAP. A s ignificant correlation was found between the effective CPAP pressure (Peff) and the amount of time spent below Pelf during auto-CPAP treatment (r = 0. 6, p = 0.01). Conclusion-Long term auto-CPAP treatment in these patients with severe OSA appears to provide comparable efficacy to that of standard CPAP treatment.