Inpatient CPAP adherence may predict post-discharge adherence in hospitalized patients screened high risk for OSA

Despite increased recognition of sleep disordered breathing in hospitalized patients, studies are lacking on the impact of inpatient adherence with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy on post-discharge adherence.

To assess the predictive value of inpatient adherence to PAP therapy on post-discharge compliance and adherence.

We reviewed data on individuals as part of a registry of a hospital-based sleep medicine program between August 2019 and December 2020. Consecutive patients identified as high risk for sleep disordered breathing based on our 2-tier screening process and initiated on Auto-PAP (APAP) therapy were included. Their adherence and post-discharge course were recorded. Primary objectives were polysomnography (PSG) compliance, sleep medicine clinic follow-up compliance, and 30-day adherence to PAP therapy if indicated by PSG.

In total, 900 individuals were screened during the study period. Of these, 281 were offered inpatient PAP therapy. Patients on bilevel PAP therapy (88 patients) were excluded due to lack of objective compliance recording. Final analysis was performed on 193 patients. Of the 193 patients placed on inpatient APAP, 140 (73%) were adherent to the therapy with average usage of 367 min per day versus 140 min per day in the non-adherent (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in oxygen desaturation index between the adherent and non-adherent groups (32.4 ± 21.9 events per hour and 34.5 ± 21.9 events per hour consistent; p = 0.5). No demographic and anthropometric characteristics or comorbid conditions were noted. Those who were adherent to PAP therapy in-hospital 47/140 (34%) underwent ambulatory PSG post-discharge compared to 7/53 (13%) of those non-adherent in-hospital (p = 0.002). The adherent group also had significantly higher likelihood for post-discharge clinic follow-up (p = 0.01) and adherence to outpatient PAP therapy (p = 0.01).

Hospitalized patients identified as high risk for sleep disordered breathing have high adherence to PAP therapy during hospitalization and inpatient adherence predicts outpatient follow-up (both PSG testing and sleep clinic) and home PAP adherence.