New device for sleep apnea seen easier to tolerate

The use of a flexible CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device that adjusts pressure with inhalation and exhalation can boost adherence to CPAP therapy in patients with Obstructive sleep apnea, research shows.

People who experience sleep apnea, brief episodes when breathing stops during sleep, are often treated with CPAP to help them breathe properly during the night. Standard CPAP devices deliver air at a constant pressure, which can be uncomfortable and lead people to give up using it.

The flexible CPAP device, known as C-Flex, alternates airway pressure on a breath-by-breath basis, which is thought to improve patient comfort and, in turn, treatment adherence.

In their study, Dr. Mark S. Aloia, from Butler Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, and colleagues treated 89 patients with moderate-to-severe Obstructive sleep apnea with standard CPAP or C-Flex and followed them for 3 months.

Compared with standard CPAP, use of C-Flex was associated with higher mean treatment adherence, the investigators note. Specifically, after 3 months, the standard CPAP group was using the device for an average of 3.1 hours per night, while the C-Flex users stayed on the device for 4.8 hours.

Although CPAP with C-Flex did not improve clinical outcomes, users of the device may feel more confident in their ability to adhere to treatment, the investigators note in the medical journal Chest

"Further randomized controlled trials will be necessary to compare this to other flow-delivery patterns to assess the impact on both short-term and long-term outcomes," the authors state.

C-Flex is produced by Murraysville, Pennsylvania-based Respironics.

SOURCE: Chest June 2005.