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Adherence to APAP in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: effectiveness of a motivational intervention

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Abstract

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a serious disorder with significant health consequences. Treatment adherence to auto-titrating positive airway pressure (APAP) is often below expectations. We investigated the effectiveness of a brief educational intervention using motivational strategies in treatment adherence among patients with OSAS.

Methods

The study followed a randomized, controlled design and included 61 patients diagnosed with OSAS, meeting the criteria for APAP therapy. Patients recruited from a Sleep Disorders Unit were randomly allocated to an intervention group (IG) and two control groups (CG1 and CG2). In the IG motivational strategies were applied according to patient’s motivation, assessed by the degree of confidence and conviction. In the CG1, participants received exclusively standardized information, and in the CG2, routine procedures were followed. Assessment included the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and sociodemographic and clinical information. Adherence to treatment was measured after 1 (T1) and 2 months (T2) through the APAP software.

Results

The IG presented higher adherence to APAP—percentage of days of use >4 h (89.8 % p = 0.013), mean effective use per effective day (6.2 p = 0.000), and lower AHI (2.7 p = 0.019) at T2 when compared with the other two groups. Confidence was higher in the IG group at T2 than at T1 (p = 0.000). The ESS presented a significant reduction (p = 0.000) in the IG and in the CG1 (p = 0.008), but was higher in the CG2 (p = 0.015).

Conclusions

Brief interventions using motivational strategies can improve a patient’s adherence to APAP.

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Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest or financial disclosures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Functional Unit Lab Pulmonology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Ana Patrícia Teles Dantas

  2. Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical Psychology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal

    Ana Patrícia Teles Dantas & Margarida Figueiredo-Braga

  3. Linde AG, Linde Healthcare, Pullach, Germany

    João Carlos Winck

Authors
  1. Ana Patrícia Teles Dantas
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  2. João Carlos Winck
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  3. Margarida Figueiredo-Braga
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Correspondence to Margarida Figueiredo-Braga.

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Dantas, A.P.T., Winck, J.C. & Figueiredo-Braga, M. Adherence to APAP in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: effectiveness of a motivational intervention. Sleep Breath 19, 327–334 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-014-1024-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-014-1024-7

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