Sleep and Breathing

, Volume 15, Issue 1, pp 107–112 | Cite as

The need for pressure changes in CPAP therapy 2–3 months after initial treatment

A prospective trial in 905 patients with sleep-disordered breathing
  • Nikolaus C. Netzer
  • János Juhász
  • Markus Hofmann
  • Kathrin Hohl
  • Kingman P. Strohl
  • Thomas E. A. H. Küpper
Original Article

Abstract

Objective

The aim of the study was to investigate the need for pressure change in patients with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) several weeks after therapy initiation. We prospectively studied 905 consecutive patients (740 men and 165 women) with SDB and therapeutic intervention with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)/bilevel PAP.

Methods

Several weeks after therapy initiation, patients were restudied for control, and pressure was optimized if it was necessary. The differences in CPAP pressure from initial treatment and control night were assessed. Anthropometric data, polysomnography data, Epworth sleepiness scale, and Berlin questionnaire scores were correlated to pressure differences from the first and control titration nights.

Results

Pressure change was needed in 511 patients (58.2%). Pressure increase was more frequent than pressure reduction (41.7% vs. 11.7%). Mean pressure increase in CPAP was 1.3 mbar, and mean decrease, 1.6 mbar. In the bilevel PAP group, the mean increase in inspiratory pressure was 1.2 mbar, and in expiratory pressure, 0.8 mbar; the mean decrease in inspiratory pressure was 1.9 mbar, and in expiratory pressure, 1.4 mbar. No correlation was found between anthropometric data, sleep efficacy, the amount of rapid eye movement sleep per night, or questionnaire scores and pressure change.

Conclusion

Our results show that pressure changes are necessary in the majority of patients several weeks after therapy initiation. Therefore, re-evaluation of therapy pressure is useful.

Keywords

CPAP titration Sleep-disordered breathing Control night Pressure change 

Notes

Financial disclosure

There has been no personal or institutional interests (financial interest, i.e.) by any of the authors of this study towards the study outcome or results. The study was not supported by grants from device producers or any other company.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2010

Authors and Affiliations

  • Nikolaus C. Netzer
    • 1
    • 2
  • János Juhász
    • 3
  • Markus Hofmann
    • 1
    • 2
  • Kathrin Hohl
    • 4
  • Kingman P. Strohl
    • 5
  • Thomas E. A. H. Küpper
    • 6
  1. 1.Hermann Buhl Institute for Hypoxia and Sleep Medicine ResearchParacelsus Medical University, SalzburgBad AiblingGermany
  2. 2.Department of MedicineUniversity Hospitals UlmUlmGermany
  3. 3.Department of MedicineHospital MainburgIlmtalklinikenGermany
  4. 4.Department of Biometry and StatisticsUniversity UlmUlmGermany
  5. 5.Sleep Disorders Research Center, Louis Stokes VA Medical CenterCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandUSA
  6. 6.Department of Occupational MedicineUniversity Hospitals, Technical University AachenAachenGermany

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