RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE To explore the effect of the pip fixation of the chest on air leakage through continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. METHODS 106 patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome were enrolled for this study. All patients underwent a whole night automatic titration for CPAP treatment. The patients included were divided into two groups randomly. For one group, the pipes were fixed on the chest (fixed group), while for the other group, there were no additional fixations for the pipes (control group). The data of all patients, including age, body mass index, AHI, and results of the titrations, were all collected for analyses. RESULTS Among the patients included, 42 patients belonged to the fixed group (39. 6％), while 64 patients belonged to control group (60. 4％). The average oxygen saturation of the Pipe-fixed group was significantly higher than that of the control group, while there were no significant differences for other parameters between the groups. However, the air leakage volume of the fixed group, (26. 5±7. 3)L/min,was significantly lower than that of the control group, (29. 9±9. 1)L/min (P=0. 041). The linear regression analyses suggested that the average pressure(coefficient=2. 124,P＜0. 001) and the fixation of the pipe (coefficient=-2. 541, P=0. 050) had predictive value for the air leakage volume (P＜0. 05). The equation was: the air leakage volume=13. 093+2. 124xthe average pressure -2. 541 × the fixation of the pipe (the data is 2 for the fixed group and 1 for the control group), the R square and the adjusted R square values of the analyses were 0. 398 and 0. 386. CONCLUSION The treatment pressure is positively related to the air leakage volume in CPAP treatment, a higher pressure suggested a higher potential air leakage volume, while the fixation of the pipe could be helpful in reducing the air leakage volume.