Trimming the need for invasive ventilation: pragmatic critical care during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 has challenged all medical professionals to optimise non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIV) as a means of limiting intubation. We present a case of a middle-aged man with a voluminous beard for religious reasons who developed progressive hypoxic respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19 infection which became refractory to NIV. After gaining permission to trim the patient’s facial hair by engaging with the patient, his family and religious leaders, his mask fit objectively improved, his hypoxaemia markedly improved and an unnecessary intubation was avoided. Trimming of facial hair should be considered in all patients on NIV who might have any limitations with mask fit and seal that would hamper ventilation, including patients who have facial hair for religious reasons.

Acute cerebrovascular event in a COVID-19 positive patient immediately after commencing non-invasive ventilation

A 71-year-old man presented to the emergency department (ED) with low oxygen saturations and symptoms consistent with COVID-19 infection. Apart from a small left-sided ischaemic stroke 10 years prior with very minor residual deficit, he had been well and in full-time employment until development of symptoms. Within minutes of commencing non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in the ED, he developed a complete left-sided paralysis and hemineglect. This case highlights the significance of the prothrombotic complications associated with COVID-19 infection. It also raises the question whether pressure changes upon commencing NIV could lead to clot migration.

Sleep-disordered breathing and the risk of Alzheimer's disease

Sleep-disordered breathing is highly prevalent in the elderly population. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) represents the most common sleep disorder among the adult and elderly population. Recently, OSA diagnosis has been associated with an increased risk of developing cognitive decline and dementia, including vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Subsequently, there have been studies on AD biomarkers investigating cerebrospinal fluid, blood, neuroimaging, and nuclear medicine biomarkers in patients with OSA. Furthermore, studies have attempted to assess the possible effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on the cognitive trajectory and AD biomarkers in patients with OSA. This review summarizes the findings of studies on each AD biomarker (cognitive, biofluid, neuroimaging, and nuclear medicine imaging) in patients with OSA, also accounting for the related effects of CPAP treatment. In addition, the hypothetical model connecting OSA to AD in a bi-directional interplay is analyzed. Finally, the sex-based differences in prevalence and clinical symptoms of OSA between men and women have been investigated in relation to AD risk. Further studies investigating AD biomarkers changes in patients with OSA and the effect of CPAP treatment should be auspicated in future for identifying strategies to prevent the development of AD.

Awake pronation with helmet continuous positive airway pressure for COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome patients outside the ICU: A case series

OBJECTIVE

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an important therapeutic tool in COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) since it improves oxygenation, reduces respiratory rate and can prevent intubation and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. CPAP during pronation has seldom been described and never during sedation.

DESIGN

Case series.

SETTING

High dependency unit of San Carlo University Hospital (Potenza, Italy).

PATIENTS

Eleven consecutive patients with COVID-19 ARDS.

INTERVENTION

Helmet CPAP in prone position after failing a CPAP trial in the supine position.

MAIN VARIABLE OF INTEREST

Data collection at baseline and then after 24, 48 and 72h of pronation. We measured PaO2/FIO2, pH, lactate, PaCO2, SpO2, respiratory rate and the status of the patients at 28-day follow up.

RESULTS

Patients were treated with helmet CPAP for a mean±SD of 7±2.7 days. Prone positioning was feasible in all patients, but in 7 of them dexmedetomidine improved comfort. PaO2/FIO2 improved from 107.5±20.8 before starting pronation to 244.4±106.2 after 72h (p<.001). We also observed a significantly increase in Sp02 from 90.6±2.3 to 96±3.1 (p<.001) and a decrease in respiratory rate from 27.6±4.3 to 20.1±4.7 (p=.004). No difference was observed in PaCO2 or pH. At 28 days two patients died after ICU admission, one was discharged in the main ward after ICU admission and eight were discharged home after being successfully managed outside the ICU.

CONCLUSIONS

Helmet CPAP during pronation was feasible and safe in COVID-19 ARDS managed outside the ICU and sedation with dexmedetomidine safely improved comfort. We recorded an increase in PaO2/FIO2, SpO2 and a reduction in respiratory rate.

Effect of humidified versus nonhumidified CPAP on inflammatory response and nasopharyngeal symptoms in healthy participants

Introduction

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may induce nasal inflammation because of mucosal compression or dryness. This study examined the impact of humidified versus nonhumidified CPAP on nasal inflammation and upper airway symptoms.

Methods

Seventeen healthy male subjects with no previous or current history of nasal symptoms were recruited. All subjects underwent 3 hours of nonhumidified CPAP at 12.5 cmH₂O via nasal mask. Among the 17 studied subjects, seven returned to receive a humidified CPAP at 12.5 cmH₂O via nasal mask. The nasal wash leukocyte count was assessed at baseline and after each CPAP setting. The white blood cell (WBC) count and levels of WBCs that are mononuclear cells (including lymphocytes and monocytes) were monitored. A six-point nasal score was also assessed before and after the CPAP intervention.

Results

The nasal wash WBC count (10³/µL) and mononuclear cell level (10³/µL) at baseline, on 12.5 cmH₂O humidified CPAP, and on 12.5 cmH₂O nonhumidified CPAP were significantly different (p = 0.016; p = 0.003). Changes in nasopharyngeal symptoms occurred in 12 of 17 subjects (70.5%) in the nonhumidified group. Participants experienced at least one nasal symptom after application of nonhumidified CPAP at 12.5 cmH₂O.

Conclusion

The present investigation suggests that humidified CPAP was not associated with early nasal inflammation and there were fewer nasopharyngeal symptoms. Further study is required to confirm the results and evaluate the impact of adding heat to the humidified CPAP system.

Long-term effectiveness of CPAP in patients with severe obesity-hypoventilation syndrome

PURPOSE

The optimal mode of long-term positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment for obesity-hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is not clear. The objectives of this study were to analyze whether or not patients with severe OHS treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) remained controlled with this therapy over the long term and to investigate which variables were associated with CPAP failure and the need to switch to non-invasive ventilation (NIV).

METHODS

In a retrospective single-center study, patients admitted to the hospital because of severe OHS between 1996 and 2015 were analyzed. A multiple regression analysis was performed in order to determine which variables were associated with either CPAP success or failure to maintain long-term control.

RESULTS

Of 126 consecutive patients, 115 accepted long-term PAP treatment. CPAP or NIV treatment was prescribed according to a protocol that included overnight polysomnographic PAP titration. Follow-up time was 8.0 ± 4.8 years. At the end of this period, 29% of CPAP-treated patients had been re-assigned to NIV because of recurrence of global respiratory failure. High levels of obesity, weight gain, lower FEV1/FVC values and the need for nocturnal supplementary oxygen independently predicted CPAP failure.

CONCLUSION

CPAP therapy for severe OHS in patients who have these risk factors should be closely monitored in the long-term for possible treatment failure.

Treatment of acute respiratory failure in the course of COVID-19. Practical hints from the expert panel of the Assembly of Intensive Care and Rehabilitation of the Polish Respiratory Society

In 2019, a pandemic began due to infection with a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. In many cases, this coronavirus leads to the development of the COVID-19 disease. Lung damage in the course of this disease often leads to acute hypoxic respiratory failure and may eventually lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Respiratory failure as a result of COVID-19 can develop very quickly and a small percent of those infected will die because of it. There is currently no treatment for COVID-19, therefore the key therapeutic intervention centers around the symptomatic treatment of respiratory failure. The main therapeutic goal is to main-tain gas exchange, mainly oxygenation, at an appropriate level and prevent the intensification of changes in the lung parenchyma. Depending on the severity of hypoxemia different techniques can be used to improve oxygenation. Medical staff dealing with COVID-19 patients should be familiar with both, methods used to treat respiratory failure and the epidemiological risks arising from their use. In some patients, conventional (passive) oxygen therapy alone is sufficient. In patients with worsening respiratory failure high flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNOT) may be effective. The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and non-invasive ventilation (NIV) methods can be used to a limited extent. With further disease progression, invasive ventilation must be used and in special situations, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can also be administered. The authors of this article set themselves the goal of presenting the most current knowledge about the epidemiology and patho-physiology of respiratory failure in COVID-19, as well as the methods of its treatment. Given the dynamics of the developing pandemic, this is not an easy task as new scientific data is presented almost every day. However, we believe the knowledge contained in this study will help doctors care for patients with COVID-19. The main target audience of this study is not so much pneumonologists or intensivists who have extensive experience in the application of the techniques discussed here, but rather doctors of other specializations who must master new skills in order to help patients during the time of a pandemic.

Positive Airway Pressure for the Treatment of OSA in Infants

BACKGROUND

Positive airway pressure (PAP) is a standard therapy for the treatment of OSA in children, but objective data on the effectiveness of PAP in infants are sparse. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of PAP in infants younger than 6 months of age with that in school-aged children.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Compared with PAP in school-aged children, can PAP be titrated as successfully in infants, and is adherence to PAP similar in both age groups?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Single-center retrospective study. For consecutive infants younger than 6 months of age and school-aged children 5 to 10 years of age with OSA treated with PAP, baseline and titration polysomnography data, PAP adherence data, and parent-reported barriers to adherence were compared between groups.

RESULTS

Forty-one infants and 109 school-aged children were included. Median obstructive apnea hypopnea index (OAHI) in infants was 25.7/h (interquartile range [IQR], 17.8-35.9/h) and was greater than that in school-aged children (12.1/hr; IQR, 7.6-21.5/h; P < .0001). After PAP titration, OAHI was reduced by a median of 92.1% in infants, similar to the median 93.4% reduction in school-aged children (P = .67). PAP was used in infants on 94.7% of nights, which was more than the 83% in school-aged children (P = .003). No differences were found in barriers to adherence between infants and school-aged children, with behavioral barriers being most common in both groups.

INTERPRETATION

Objective data demonstrate that PAP is both highly effective at treating OSA and well-tolerated in infants. Like older patients, PAP should be considered along with other therapies for the treatment of OSA in even the youngest children.

Pseudoparalytic shoulder in a CoViD-19-positive patient treated with CPAP: A case report

The Authors report a case of a 46 years old man affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by Novel Coronavirus 2019 and admitted to our hospital. The patient required continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) in the hospital ward and subsequently orotracheal intubation while in intensive care unit. The patient laid in lateral decubitus position for several hours every day while receiving CPAP therapy. During the hospitalization, he reported limitation of range of motion of the left upper limb, without any history of acute or previous trauma. The clinical appearance of the arm was suggestive of pseudoparalytic shoulder.

This case emphasizes the importance of proper body positioning during invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation in order to prevent peripheral nerve compression and further disability.

CPAP Therapeutic Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Introduction

There are many options available to patients who are placed on constant positive airway pressure (CPAP) for obstructive sleep apnea. Despite the success of CPAP in correcting apnea, a significant number of patients have difficulty with the therapy. A large number of those patients who have difficulty stop therapy and are often labeled as "CPAP Failure". Non-sleep specialists may view CPAP therapy as a singular course of treatment, but there are many ways CPAP may be ordered for a patient. Each patient experiences a unique set of options that constitute a unique order set.

Methods

In order to demonstrate the magnitude of the possible options, estimates of the number of unique order sets were calculated. The author chose individual order options and the number of selections possible within each option. The calculated sets included a "Generous, Limited and Minimal" number of selections for each option. Calculations were done separately for standard CPAP and for auto-adjusting CPAP. Additional calculations were performed using the number of commercially available masks in the United States.

Results

The maximum number of unique order sets was seen using a standard CPAP combined with commercially available masks: 49,152 unique order sets. The fewest number of unique order sets were seen with the auto-adjusting CPAP and the "Minimal" selections: 288 unique order sets.

Discussion

There are a large number of unique CPAP orders that a patient may experience. CPAP treatment is not a singular or simple therapy. When evaluating obstructive sleep apnea patients with histories of CPAP failure or prior difficulty with CPAP, paying close attention to the patient's treatment experiences may help explain a significant number of those patients' CPAP therapy problems.

Obstructive sleep apnea treatment disparities among older adults with neurological disorders

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to characterize obstructive sleep apnea treatment patterns among older Americans with neurological conditions.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Claims data from a 5% fee-for-service sample of Medicare beneficiaries were analyzed to determine the proportion of older adults with OSA who received and were adherent to continuous positive airway pressure therapy and examine potential gaps in OSA care among neurological populations. Logistic regression was used to determine whether gender or race/ethnicity modified the associations between neurological morbidities and OSA treatment or adherence.

RESULTS

Data from n = 102,618 beneficiaries with OSA were identified. The prevalence of stroke, cognitive disorders, or Parkinson's disease in this sample was 7%, 3%, and 2% respectively. Overall, OSA-diagnosed individuals (73%) obtained treatment, and most treated were adherent to CPAP (72%). Lower proportions of OSA treatment and adherence were observed in neurological conditions, particularly stroke. In logistic regression models, gender and race/ethnicity each modified associations between neurological comorbidity and OSA treatment and adherence. Women as compared to men with a given neurological condition were uniformly less likely to receive CPAP or adhere to treatment (P < .01 for each condition). Similarly, in comparison to whites with the same neurological condition, OSA treatment was significantly lower among all other races with stroke, and among blacks with cognitive disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Older women and minorities with neurological conditions may be more vulnerable to gaps in OSA care. Targeted strategies to improve treatment disparities and neurological outcomes in older adults could be informed by these data.

Reopening Sleep Medicine Services in the Conundrum of an Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic: A Global View

The emergence of COVID-19 brought all healthcare services around the globe to immense strain; hospitals abandoned elective care for acute care. Like all other elective services, sleep medicine services suffered a partial deadlock due to the closing down of the sleep disorders diagnostic and therapeutic services, although clinical consultations and follow-ups, carried on remotely, allowed some mitigation. Since there is dire need to resume the services, we tried to formulate the principles and guidelines to work in this exigent healthcare setting. Principles and guidelines are based on epidemiological and infection control guidelines besides recommendations of various healthcare organizations and sleep societies, after a requisite web search to extract the data.

Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea as potential triggers of dementia: is personalized prediction and prevention of the pathological cascade applicable?

Introduction

Sleep disorders ultimately result in sleep deficiency and poor-quality adversely impacts the immune system, glucose metabolism, body weight control, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular function, cognitive function, psychological stability, work productivity, quality of life, and social safety. Sleep disorders are very common among the elderly and are often comorbid with other diseases such as dementia, and further accelerating the underlying neurodegenerative processes. Initial studies have not clearly revealed the relationship between sleep disorders and dementia. Nonetheless, recent findings have suggested that insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are closely associated with dementia and perhaps they could be good predictors of occurrence of dementia and optimal treatments for sleep deficiencies may prevent or delay the onset dementia.

Methods

Here, we conducted a systematic review based on the criteria of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine on the association of dementia in elderlies with sleep disorder, namely insomnia and OSA. We included 7432 studies and analyzed a total of 14 publications after applying appropriate exclusion criteria.

Results

We found that OSA patients had a large tendency to develop and/or experience accelerations of both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and also vascular dementia, whereas insomnia patients only develop and/or experience accelerations of AD. This may be reflected in the fact that AD and vascular dementia have similar and at the same time also different mechanisms of action. Several studies have also revealed that treating sleep disorders in elderly patients prevented or delayed the onset of dementia, mitigating the progression of symptoms in patients who already manifested dementic symptoms and even reversing neurodegeneration in particular brain areas.

Discussion

Currently, the general medical consensus has poorly addressed the role of sleep disorders in exacerbating the risk of dementia. Critically, studies such as the present one emphasizes that the treatment of sleep disorders could be one the preventive measures to evade or to improve dementia symptoms. Additionally, elderly individuals often manifest different sleep deficiency symptoms than younger ones. Given this, an improved age-specific categorization and evaluation methods for sleep deficiency need to be implemented in diagnosing dementia in order to enable personalized assessments and treatments. Collectively, these findings may also assist to improve efforts in predictively detecting and eventually treating dementia.

Restarting CPAP Therapy for Sleep Apnea After a Previous Failure

BACKGROUND

About one third of patients fail their first CPAP trial due to several factors. Despite its clinical importance, data on the success of CPAP re-initiation are scarce.

METHODS

Of the 6,231 patients referred to our sleep unit for sleep apnea, we included 224 subjects referred for re-initiation of CPAP therapy (re-CPAP). The control group consisted of 228 CPAP-naïve subjects referred for CPAP initiation. Data on subject characteristics, sleep study, and CPAP outcome were collected.

RESULTS

The re-CPAP group had more severe apnea than the control group. After at least 1 y of CPAP therapy, 52% of the re-CPAP group stayed on therapy; this was significantly lower than the 67% adherence for the control group (P = .001). No gender difference was observed in the control group (P = .12), whereas women in the re-CPAP group remained on therapy significantly less than men (P = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

The percentage of subjects who stayed on CPAP therapy after 1 y was significantly reduced when CPAP was re-initiated compared to the control group. CPAP acceptance after re-initiation was higher among men than women. Further studies are necessary to explain this gender difference.

CHARGE syndrome patient with novel CHD7 mutation presenting with severe laryngomalacia and feeding difficulty

We report a case of CHARGE syndrome with atypical phenotype and a novel mutation in the CHD7 gene. Laryngomalacia and swallowing difficulties are prominent features in this case. These are commonly found in patients with CHARGE syndrome and are well described in previous studies. However, with the traditional diagnostic criteria, diagnosis is difficult without the presence of coloboma or choanal atresia. Early diagnosis is possible with the aid of clinical genetics. The current diagnostic criteria would need to be broadened with the inclusion of pathogenic CHD7 variant status as a major criterion. Further research on the function of CHD7 gene may also give us more insight on the pathogenic mechanism of various clinical features of CHARGE syndrome.

Management of sleep apnea in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

With the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak there has been concern that patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who develop COVID-19 may be at risk of greater morbidity and mortality than patients without OSA. COVID-19 is associated with an increased mortality in the elderly and particularly those with obesity, hypertension and diabetes, features which are typically seen in patients with OSA. This article describes the COVID-19 environment in New York City in which patients were evaluated and treated for OSA.

Methods

A telephone questionnaire survey of 112 OSA patients determined the occurrence of COVID-19 in the sleep apnea population and the patients' perspective on sleep apnea Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) management during the COVID-19 outbreak. The three main objectives of the survey were as follows: (1) To discover how patients were coping with COVID-19 pandemic in terms of their sleep apnea and PAP use, (2) To determine whether PAP usage changed after the onset of the outbreak in terms of adherence, and (3) To find out if patients were concerned about whether they were at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 because of their sleep apnea and, if they became infected, whether COVID-19 might result in greater complications because of the presence of sleep apnea.

Results/Conclusions

The adjustment in clinical management of OSA patients is described both during the peak of the outbreak in New York State (NYS), as well as the proposed modifications that will be instituted in order to return to full sleep center activities.

•

Common OSA comorbidities (eg, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity) overlap with those of patients who die of COVID-19 complications and the interaction needs further research.

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Treating OSA patients with PAP during the COVID-19 pandemic requires careful management to reduce patient concerns and optimize patient care.

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Safety measures to minimize exposure and dissemination of COVID-19 by PAP therapy should be instituted by sleep centers during both the peak of the epidemic and at reopened centers.

Age and Sex Disparities in Adherence to CPAP

BACKGROUND

CPAP effectiveness is limited by suboptimal adherence. Prior studies of adherence have focused on middle-aged men.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Does CPAP adherence vary by age and sex?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Telemonitoring data from a CPAP manufacturer database were used to assess adherence in patients initiating CPAP therapy between November 2015 and October 2018. Analyses were restricted to patients in the United States aged 18 to 90 years.

RESULTS

Across 789,260 patients initiated on CPAP (mean age, 55 ± 14 years; 58.2% male), overall adherence by US Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services criteria was 72.6%, but it varied dramatically by age and sex, ranging from 51.3% in 18- to 30-year-old women to 80.6% in 71- to 80-year-old men. Patterns of use over the first 90 days demonstrated that younger age groups had peak CPAP use by the 2^nd night, with a subsequent decay in use, including abandonment of CPAP, which was greatest among 18- to 30-year-old women. In contrast, older patients steadily increase use, taking more than a week to maximize usage, and then they have much slower decays in use over time. Younger, but not older, patients have lower use of CPAP on weekends compared with weekday nights.

INTERPRETATION

CPAP adherence rates vary substantially by demographics, with 18- to 30-year-old women having the lowest adherence. The pattern of use over the first 90 days also varies substantially by age and sex. Further research to understand and address the causes of disparities will be crucial to maximizing the benefits of CPAP therapy.

Resolution of refractory chylothorax with a combination of talc pleurodesis and CPAP

Chylothorax is an uncommon cause of pleural effusion. Recurrent chylous effusions are often resistant to conservative treatment and many need surgical intervention. We report a 69‐year‐old woman with refractory idiopathic chylothorax resistant to medium‐chain triglyceride diet and intermittent thoracentesis. Lymphangiography and lymphoscintigraphy failed to identify the site of leakage. We initiated continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) 12 h before and 48 hours after talc pleurodesis. Chest drain was removed at day 3 and she was discharged at day 5. To our knowledge, this is the first case of successful resolution of idiopathic refractory chylothorax with CPAP ventilation used in tandem with talc pleurodesis.

Association between adherence to continuous positive airway pressure treatment and cost among medicare enrollees

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the cost associated with sleep apnea and effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on costs among fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort design using 5% Medicare claims between 2006 and 2010. Medicare beneficiaries with and without sleep apnea diagnosis between 2007 and 2008 were identified and followed retrospectively for 2 years pre-index-date and 2 years post-index-date. We defined CPAP fill as at least one durable medical equipment claim for CPAP in 6-month period. At least three CPAP fills was defined as "full adherence," and one or two CPAP fills was "partial adherence." We used interrupted time series and generalized linear log-link models to study the association between sleep apnea, CPAP treatment, and costs. To minimize bias, we used propensity score and instrumental variables approach.

RESULTS

Sleep apnea was associated with higher costs (odds ratio [OR] = 1.60; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.58, 1.63) compared to those without sleep apnea. Almost half of those with sleep apnea received CPAP treatment. Interrupted time series analysis indicated post level increase in mean monthly cost for full CPAP adherence group, partial CPAP adherence group and no-CPAP group. However, the increase was smallest for the full CPAP adherence group. Full CPAP adherence was associated with lower change in cost (OR = 0.92; 95% CI = 0.88, 0.97) compared to the no-CPAP group.

CONCLUSIONS

Medicare beneficiaries with sleep apnea experience increased cost. Full adherence to CPAP treatment for sleep apnea was associated with lower increase in cost. These findings emphasize the need to effectively identify and treat sleep apnea in Medicare patients.

Intracranial Epidural Abscess in a 9-Year-Old Boy With Precocious Puberty and Use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

Intracranial extension of rhinosinusitis is rare in children. We report a 9-year-old immunocompetent boy with central precocious puberty and obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome who developed an intracranial epidural abscess secondary to rhinosinusitis while on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. A retrospective review of the medical record and imaging studies was performed. MEDLINE and Cochrane databases were searched for reports of epidural abscess developing in patients receiving CPAP treatment or in patients with precocious puberty. Intracranial extension of frontal rhinosinusitis is more common during puberty probably because of the active growth of the frontal sinuses and their rich blood supply. Controlled studies show no increase with rhinosinusitis in adults on CPAP; no published studies assess intracranial extension of rhinosinusitis in CPAP use. Patients with unexplained, severe headache and fever following CPAP use may require neuroimaging (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] / contrast computed tomography) to rule out intracranial extension of sinusitis.

Update on Research and Practices in Major Sleep Disorders: Part I. Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

PURPOSE

The purpose of this first of two review articles providing an update on sleep disorders was to examine the pathophysiology, epidemiology, and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is a common sleep disorder whose prevalence is similar to asthma. As with other sleep disorders, OSA has a broad impact on individuals, affecting their daily behaviors, cognitive abilities, and performance, and putting them at increased risk for accidents, mood disorders, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Thus, early recognition and management, much of which can be implemented by nurses, can reduce health and accident risks and improve daily functioning.

METHODS

This narrative review utilized medical databases such as PubMed to identify relevant English language original and systematic review articles predominantly from peer-reviewed journals from 2012 to 2018. However, as background, findings from classic articles prior to 2012 were also included.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

OSA is a common condition with considerable impact on daily functioning and potential for accidents and serious comorbidities such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depressed mood. The impairments and comorbidities associated with OSA can be reduced through early detection, encouraging treatment, providing education about sleep and OSA, and, importantly, promoting adherence to the predominant therapy, positive airway pressure.

Effectiveness of different treatments in obesity hypoventilation syndrome

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is an undesirable consequence of obesity, defined as daytime hypoventilation, sleep disorder breathing and obesity; during the past few years the prevalence of extreme obesity has markedly increased worldwide consequently increasing the prevalence of OHS. Patients with OHS have a lower quality of life and a higher risk of unfavourable cardiometabolic consequences. Early diagnosis and effective treatment can lead to significant improvement in patient outcomes; therefore, such data has noticeably raised interest in the management and treatment of this sleep disorder. This paper will discuss the findings on the main current treatment modalities OHS will be discussed.

CPAP Added to Oxygen Administration Avoid Intubation in Acute Respiratory Distress in COVID-19 Pneumonia. Case Report

It was recently described that COVID-19 pneumonia patients had an atypical form of the ARDS syndrome and required gentle ventilation. We report here on benefits of CPAP treatment in a patient with COVID-19 pneumonia. A 63-year-old patient of African origin presented to the emergency room with COVID-19 pneumonia. Fever had started 5 days before her admission. On day 4, rapid clinical deterioration associated to a high respiratory rate and increased oxygen requirements was noted. The patient was working in an intensive care unit and refused to be intubated. Oxygen was administered at a rate of 15 litres per minute via a Boussignac valve, which initially restored normal oxygen saturation, but this treatment was poorly tolerated and the patient withdrew it after 2 h. A CPAP set at a pressure of 8 cm of water (Goodknight®) was then introduced with better tolerance, allowing the patient to wear it almost continuously for more than 38 h. The patient also benefited from the administration of methypredinsolone 40 mg. Concerning tolerance, a substantial advantage was noted for CPAP machine compared to the Boussignac valve with in addition, a clear decrease in respiratory rate. We would like to encourage the use of CPAP, better tolerated for extended hours with lower oxygen flows, in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, where acute respiratory distress all too often leads to patient intubation and the genesis of deleterious lung lesions.