Relationship between hours of CPAP use and achieving normal levels of sleepiness and daily functioning.
OBJECTIVE
Evidence suggests that, to maintain treatment effects, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) needs to be used every night. What remains unknown is the nightly duration of use required to normalize functioning. This study, employing probit analyses and piecewise regression to estimate dose-response functions, estimated likelihoods of return to normal levels of sleepiness and daily functioning relative to nightly duration of CPAP.


METHODS
Multicenter, quasi-experimental study.


METHODS
Seven sleep centers in the United States and Canada.


METHODS
Patients with severe OSA (total cohort n = 149; the numbers of included participants from 85 - 120, depending on outcome analyzed.)


METHODS
CPAP.


RESULTS
Before treatment and again after 3 months of therapy, participants completed a day of testing that included measures of objective and subjective daytime sleepiness and functional status. There were significant differences in mean nightly CPAP duration between treatment responders and nonresponders across outcomes. Thresholds above which further improvements were less likely relative to nightly duration of CPAP were identified for Epworth Sleepiness Scale score (4 hours), Multiple Sleep Latency Test (6 hours), and Functional Outcomes associated with Sleepiness Questionnaire (7.5 hours). A linear dose-response relationship (P < 0.01) between increased use and achieving normal levels was shown for objective and subjective daytime sleepiness, but only up to 7 hours use for functional status.


CONCLUSIONS
Our analyses suggest that a greater percentage of patients will achieve normal functioning with longer nightly CPAP durations, but what constitutes adequate use varies between different outcomes.
Weaver
Terri E
TE
Biobehavioral and Health Sciences Division, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6096, USA. tew@nursing.upenn.edu
Maislin
Greg
G
Dinges
David F
DF
Bloxham
Thomas
T
George
Charles F P
CF
Greenberg
Harly
H
Kader
Gihan
G
Mahowald
Mark
M
Younger
Joel
J
Pack
Allan I
AI
D000328:Adult; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000379:methods*; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017286:Polysomnography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires