Comparison of two headgear systems for sleep apnea treatment of stroke patients.
BACKGROUND
Obstructive sleep apnea is a very common condition after stroke, and it predicts poor outcomes. Unfortunately, stroke patients often do not tolerate continuous positive airway pressure. We hypothesized that a 1-piece head frame headgear would be easier and quicker to use than a traditional strap headgear.


METHODS
A convenience sample of ischemic stroke patients was taught to use 2 different headgear systems, a head frame and straps. Subjects were timed while putting on and taking off the 2 headgears, and they were queried about their ease of use.


RESULTS
All the 30 enrolled subjects found the head frame to be easier to apply and to remove than the straps. The patients took longer to put on (p < 0.01) and to remove (p < 0.01) the straps than the head frame.


CONCLUSIONS
Headgear selection should be considered when fitting a stroke patient with a continuous positive airway pressure mask.
Brown
Devin L
DL
The Cardiovascular Center-Stroke Program, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5855, USA. devinb@umich.edu
Concannon
Maryann
M
Kaye
Aaron B
AB
Zupancic
Michael
M
Lisabeth
Lynda D
LD
D000368:Aged; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*