title: Functional short- and long-term effects of nasal CPAP with and without humidification on the ciliary function of the nasal respiratory epithelium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the gold standard in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but its impact on ciliary function is unclear to date. Furthermore, CPAP is associated with numerous side effects related to the nose and upper airway. Humidified CPAP is used to relieve these symptoms, but again, little is known regarding its effect on ciliary function of the nasal respiratory epithelium.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, randomized, crossover trial, 31 patients with OSA (AHI >15/h) were randomized to two treatment arms: nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) with humidification or nCPAP without humidification for one night in each modality to assess short-term effects of ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and mucus transport time (MTT) and consecutively for 8 weeks in each modality to assess long-term effects in a crossover fashion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The baseline CBF was 4.8 ± 0.6 Hz, and baseline MTT was 540 ± 221 s. After one night of CPAP with and without humidification, ciliary function increased moderately yet with statistical significance (p <0.05). The short-term groups with and without humidification did not differ statistically significant. Regarding long-term effects of CPAP, a statistically significant increase in ciliary function above the baseline level and above the short-term level was shown without humidification (7.2 ± 0.4 Hz; 402 ± 176 s; p <0.01). The increase above baseline level was even more pronounced with humidification (9.3 ± 0.7 Hz; 313 ± 95 s; p <0.01). There was a statistically significant difference between both groups at long-term assessment with regard to CBF (p <0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Independent of airway humidification, nCPAP has moderate effects on short-term ciliary function of the nasal respiratory epithelium. However, a significant increase in ciliary function-both in terms of an increased CBF and a decreased MTT-was detected after long-term use. The effect was more pronounced when humidification was used during nCPAP.
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany, ulrich.sommer@umm.de.
authors: J Ulrich
authors: JU
authors: Sommer
authors: Marius
authors: M
authors: Kraus
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Birk
authors: Johannes D
authors: JD
authors: Schultz
authors: Karl
authors: K
authors: Hörmann
authors: Boris A
authors: BA
authors: Stuck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002925:Ciliary Motility Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000379:methods*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017286:Polysomnography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*
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