[Nasal positive pressure ventilation (nCPAP) in therapy of obstructive sleep apnea: acceptance by 50 patients].

In a prospective study between 1989 and 1993, 50 patients (45 males, 5 females, mean age: 58.4 years; mean AHI = 37.8/h) suffering from obstructive sleep apnoea were examined. They underwent nocturnal polysomnography and were provided nightly treatment with nasal CPAP (Respironics Sleep-Easy III und REMSTAR, Respironics Inc, Monroeville, PA). 41 patients were given primary treatment with nCPAP. Nine patients were secondarily treated with a nCPAP mask after other modalities of therapy (weight reduction, mandibular positioning appliance, nasal surgery, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) had been applied without success. All patients were controlled in the sleep laboratory nine to fourty-two months (mean: 18 months) after the masks were fitted. A questionnaire was used to evaluate subjective complaints, use of the CPAP mask, technical problems, partner's acceptance of the mask etc. 46 patients wore the mask on an average of 6.2 nights per week and 6.5 hours per night. These self-reported data from the questionnaire correlated only in 85 per cent of the cases with the data provided by the time clock installed in the CPAP machine. The long-term compliance with nCPAP of the studied group was 92 per cent. Four patients returned their masks within two months. It was possible to provide sufficient respiration to more than 90% of the patients using an average pressure between 7 and 8 cm water column. Respiration presented no problems for all six patients who had previously been treated with uvulopalatopharyngoplasty in our hospital. Despite the mask 41 patients slept with their partner in a common room.