Table 3.
Auto-CPAP therapy adherence and side effects at 3rd and 6th month of study subjects.
| Parameter | At 3 months (n=136) | At 6 months (n=134) | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days without auto-CPAP usage at night | |||
| Accumulated days/month, day, 95%CI (min - max) | 4.3±1.4 | 3.5±1.2 | NS |
| 3.9-4.8 (3-6) | 3.1-3.9 (2-5) | ||
| Percentage of subjects, % | 20.5 | 8.8 | <0.01 |
| Days with auto-CPAP usage at night | |||
| Accumulated days/month, days, 95%CI (min - max) | 25.4±2.2 | 26.6±1.8 | NS |
| 24.1-26.5 (22-30) | 25.2-27.4 (24-0) | ||
| ≥5h/night, % subjects/month | 64±5 | 67±6 | NS |
| 4-5 h/night, % subjects/month | 28±3 | 39±4 | <0.05 |
| 3-4 h/night, % subjects/month | 8±2 | 4±1 | NS |
| Hours of auto-CPAP usage per night | |||
| Min, hours | 2.3±0.4 | 3.8±0.5 | <0.05 |
| Max, hours | 7.8±1.6 | 8.6±1.5 | NS |
| Average, hours, | 5.2±2.2 | 6.5±2.4 | <0.05 |
| 95%CI (min - max) | 4.6-5.9 (2-10) | 5.7-7.2 (3-10) | |
| Attained auto-CPAP pressure during sleep | |||
| Min, cmH2O | 5.3±1.2 | 5.8±1.6 | NS |
| Max, cmH2O | 16.4±4.6 | 15.2±5.4 | NS |
| Average, cmH2O, 95%CI (min -max) | 12.7±6.8 | 11.5±6.9 | NS |
| 10.3-14.6 (4-20) | 9.4-13.6 (4-18) | ||
| Respiratory events under auto-CPAP | |||
| OA, number/h | 14±6 | 8±4 | <0.05 |
| Hypopnea, number/h | 10±4 | 6±3 | NS |
| AHI, number/h | 12±6 | 7±3 | <0.05 |
| Auto-CPAP related side effects | |||
| Dry mouth or nose | 78.6 | 32.0 | <0.001 |
| Nasal congestion | 13.2 | 11.9 | NS |
| Dry eyes | 11.0 | 10.4 | NS |
| Discomfort breathing | 25.7 | 16.0 | <0.05 |
| Claustrophobia | 1.4 | 0.7 | NS |
| Aerophagia or flatulence | 7.3 | 6.7 | NS |
| Skin marks or rashes | 41.1 | 20.8 | <0.001 |
| Difficult sleeping | 65.4 | 36.1 | <0.001 |
CPAP, continuous positive pressure; CI, confidence interval; OA, obstructive apnea; AHI, apnea-hypopnea index.