Compliance to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea – long-term assessment

INTRODUCTION: To assess CPAP acquirement, compliance, and dropout rates among OSA patients three years after the prescription. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We assessed CPAP acquirement (Acq), compliance (Comp), and dropout (Dout) through a telephone survey. We interviewed 156 patients; ESS: 9.9±5.7, AHI>15ev/hour in 96.4%. 92 patients had accessed CPAP therapy (58.9%) and 67 (72.8%) were still using it. Dropout was reported by 25 (27.2%). The Comp group was older (p<0.01), had more men (p<0.001), higher ESS scores (p<0.03) and a higher level of specialist follow-up (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis adjusted showed; follow-up by experts (OR: 4.39; p<0.05) and ESS>10 (OR: 1.25; p<0.05) increased CPAP compliance. CONCLUSION: There is a high number of patients without CPAP therapy acquirement. Long-term compliance was found in ¾ of the study population in symptomatic patients followed up by specialists. Finally, 43% had effective treatment.