Advanced Positive Airway Pressure Modalities

Positive airway pressure therapy for post-stroke sleep disordered breathing: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression

BACKGROUND

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is an under-recognised independent risk factor and a potential consequence of stroke. We systematically reviewed and meta-analysed the effectiveness of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy in improving post-stroke outcomes.

METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) for randomised controlled trials comparing PAP therapy against a control or placebo group. We evaluated the pooled effects of PAP therapy on recurrent vascular events, neurological deficit, cognition, functional independence, daytime sleepiness and depression using random effects meta-analyses.

RESULTS

We identified 24 studies. Our meta-analyses showed that PAP therapy reduced recurrent vascular events (risk ratio 0.47, 95% CI 0.28-0.78), and showed significant beneficial effects on neurological deficit (Hedges' g= -0.79, 95% CI -1.19- -0.39), cognition (g=0.85, 95% CI 0.04-1.65), functional independence (g=0.45, 95% CI 0.01-0.88) and daytime sleepiness (g= -0.96, 95% CI -1.56- -0.37). However, there was insignificant reduction in depression (g= -0.56, 95% CI -2.15-1.02). No publication bias was detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Post-stroke patients with SDB benefited from PAP therapy. Prospective trials are needed to determine the ideal initiation period and the minimum effective therapeutic dose.

The Effects of Changing Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Devices in Japanese Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Case Series

Background The effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in Japanese patients have not been reported. We assessed the effects of changing CPAP devices (from the Philips Respironics device to the ResMed device) on the control of OSA. Methods We retrospectively examined 13 patients with OSA who voluntarily changed from the Philips Respironics device to the ResMed device due to a Philips Respironics CPAP device recall. Data on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) were obtained from the CPAP devices for three months before and after changing the devices. Results The AHI obtained from the CPAP devices significantly decreased from 4.4 (3.1-10.7) events/h to 2.0 (0.8-3.6) events/h when patients changed devices (P=0.022). The AHI decreased to <5 events/h after changing devices in 4 patients, whereas it had been ≥5 events/h before changing devices in 6 patients. Conclusion Changing CPAP devices can decrease the AHI.