Predictors and consequences of residual apnea during positive airway pressure therapy

Determine the risk factors for, and consequences of, residual apnea during long-term positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

A prospective cohort study of 195 subjects after a split-night polysomnogram. Estimation of residual respiratory events on PAP were done by both automated and manual scoring of data in EncoreAnywhere™. Clinical and polysomnographic predictors of residual apnea were estimated.

There were 166 and 101 patients still on PAP at the 3 and 12 months, respectively. Seventy four (44.6%) and 46 (45.5%) had a residual scored respiratory event index-flow (sREI_FLOW) ≥ 15/hour of use and 46 (45.5%) at the 3rd and 12th month, respectively. Treatment phase central apnea hypopnea index (TCAHI), a surrogate of high loop gain, was the main predictor for residual sREI_FLOW (β = 0.345, p: 0.025) at the 3rd and 12th month (β = 0.147, p: 0.020). TCAHI also predicted unstable breathing (U) %. The body mass index (hazard ratio [HR] 1.034, 95% CI 1.008-1.062, p: 0.012) and effective sREI_FLOW>15/hour in the first month (HR 2.477, 95% CI 1.510-4.065, p < 0.001) were the key predictors for drop out of PAP use at the 12th month. Effective sREI_FLOW>15/hour in the first month was also a predictor for median usage duration >4 h for 70% of the night at both the 3rd month (odds ratio [OR] 0.947, 95% CI 0.909-0.986, p: 0.008) and 12th month (OR 0.973, 95% CI 0.951-0.994, p: 0.014).

Treatment-phase CAHI predicts long-term residual apnea on PAP. High residual disease adversely impacts adherence.