title: [Long-term acceptance of n-CPAP therapy by patients with sleep related respiratory disorders].
abstract: The therapeutic effect in application of n-CPAP therapy (nasal continuous positive airway pressure) is dependent on both the acute effect of this therapy and the long-term acceptance and consequent palliation respectively avoidance of sequelae. We present 50 patients (47 male, 3 female) treated with n-CPAP therapy because of severe sleep-related disorders of breathing. All patients had polysomnography, and in addition questionnaires were mailed to all 50 patients in order to get information concerning the symptoms of sleep-related disorders of breathing before and under n-CPAP therapy, mode of therapy and side-effects in application of n-CPAP therapy. Patients were treated for at least three to a maximum of 25 months with n-CPAP (average 10.5 months). Long-term acceptance with n-CPAP was defined as persistent use of n-CPAP during every night for at least five hours. On average continuous positive airway pressure of 8.6 mbar (range 4-18) was effective in normalizing formerly severe pathological respiratory parameters. Apnea-index decreased from 22.8 to 2.17/h on average. Regarding the symptoms of sleep-related disorders of breathing before and under n-CPAP therapy, we saw that almost 100% of our patients complained of the main symptoms of sleep-related disorders of breathing. By regular n-CPAP application a complete reduction of these symptoms could be achieved in nearly 80% of patients. Long-term acceptance of n-CPAP therapy was reported by 78% of our patients who used their n-CPAP device every night for at least five hours.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Berufsgenossenschaftliche Kliniken Bergmannsheil, Universitätsklinik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orth
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rasche
authors.forename: H U
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Ullrich
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Duchna
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schultze-Werninghaus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000523:psychology; D012138:Respiratory Therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*