Compliance of Auto-adjusting Positive Airway Pressure in Korean Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is generally effective in correcting sleep-related respiratory disturbance in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS). But the failure to comply with this treatment poses a serious limitation to its use. The aim of this study is to investigate the state of compliance and the cause of noncompliance of auto-adjusting positive airway pressure (autoPAP) treatment in Korean OSAS patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study performed a survey of 45 patients who had selected the autoPAP treatment between August 2000 and May 2003. RESULTS: Twelve of the 45 patients (26.7%) refused the autoPAP treatment immediately after the first trial due to claustrophobia. Also, twenty patients (44.4%) stopped using it within 1 month. Only 13 patients (28.9%) continued to use it for more than 1 month. Twenty seven of the 33 patients (81.8%) who had used the autoPAP complained of claustrophobia after the first trial. The major factors of low compliance were claustrophobia, restricted body position while asleep, nasal symptoms, high cost, and inadequate education of patients. CONCLUSION: This study shows that claustrophobia is a major cause for the noncompliance of autoPAP. It also shows that the patients are encouraged by the effectiveness of the autoPAP to use it for a longer period. Therefore, we should focus on explaining the effects and drawbacks of autoPAP, desensitization and behavioral modification.