Unattended home diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea without polysomnography

To test the effectiveness of unattended home monitoring along with automatic titrating continuous positive airway pressure (auto-CPAP) as an acceptable method for diagnosing and prescribing proper CPAP pressure for treatment of patients presenting with classic symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Nonrandomized, prospective case study of 63 patients with a presumptive diagnosis of OSA.

University hospital and veterans affairs medical center ambulatory sleep disorders clinics.

Fifty-eight men and 5 women were recruited for symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness, heavy snoring, and witnessed apnea.

Subjects with 10 or more respiratory events per hour were titrated by automatic, unattended home monitoring to an optimal CPAP pressure.

Number of subjects able to be diagnosed by unattended home monitoring, titrated to optimal CPAP pressure, accepted an auto-CPAP machine for home use, and symptoms improved.

Fifty-four (86%) of 63 patients completed sufficient diagnostic studies, and in 45 (83%) of these, a diagnosis of OSA was established. Nine subjects were unable to adjust to the nasal mask for an adequate diagnostic recording, and 9 had fewer than 10 respiratory events per hour. Ten subjects with OSA could not complete a titration study. Thirty-five of the subjects diagnosed with OSA accepted the auto-CPAP machine into their home, while 30 used it for therapy longer than 3 weeks. The estimated cost of performing in-home studies was less than one fourth of the estimated cost for in-laboratory polysomnographic examinations had they been performed.

Unattended monitoring plus auto-CPAP allows cost-effective diagnosis and CPAP titration of most patients with OSA with straightforward symptoms.