An evaluation of long-term nasal CPAP therapy for sleep apnea

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an effective therapy for sleep apnea. Little is known about long-term patient compliance and side effects with this therapeutic modality in the Chinese. In order to evaluate this, we collected 8 obstructive sleep apnea patients who received home nasal CPAP therapy between January 1990 and July 1991. Each received two sets of nap polysomnographic studies. The initial set was performed to diagnose and evaluate patient response to CPAP as well as defining the CPAP pressure the patient would be using at home. The second set of studies were conducted for follow up and re-evaluation. Seven of these patients reported using nasal CPAP during sleep at night, and one did not use it all. Nasal CPAP improved clinical symptoms, particularly daytime sleepiness, and 7 patients were generally satisfied with nasal CPAP. Initially the side effects were a dry throat and nose. After 5 to 15 months of CPAP treatment, the follow-up nap sleep studies showed no significant change in the apnea/hypopnea index, duration of apnea, or oxygen desaturation between the diagnostic and follow-up (without CPAP) studies. However the amount of nasal CPAP pressure setting declined in 4 of 7 patients. Our own experience indicates that long-term nasal CPAP is an important new means of treatment for sleep apnea and allows a normal daytime life. It was well-tolerated by most sleep apnea patients. However, it is necessary to further evaluate of morbidity and the amount of pressure setting relative to long-term home nasal CPAP.