Abstract [eng] |
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in patients hospitalized with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), stratified by disease severity, and to identify anthropometric and demographic differences among OSA severity groups. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients diagnosed with OSA who underwent CPAP titration under polysomnography or polygraphy control between January 3 and October 24, 2024. The study received approval from the Vilnius Regional Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (approval No. 158200-13-652-210). Statistical analyses were performed using Microsoft Office Excel and the Statistical Package for Social Science. Results: The study included 91 participants, 65 of whom were men, with a median age of 57 [48–62] years. Most participants were obese, and excessive daytime sleepiness was not prominent. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) did not differ significantly between sexes (p=0.445). Based on initial AHI values, 30 patients had moderate, 30 had severe, and 31 had very severe OSA. The body mass index (BMI) was highest in the very severe OSA group (p=0.007), and higher CPAP pressures were required for patients with more severe OSA (p<0.001). No significant differences were found among severity groups regarding sex (p=0.726), age (p=0.142), or Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores (p=0.376). Median AHI decreased from 36.60 [27.20–58.70] to 5.40 [3.50–8.50] events per hour with CPAP therapy (p<0.001). 60 % achievement rate of full therapeutic response (AHI <5) inside the moderate severity OSA group was significantly higher than that of 29.04 % inside the very severe OSA group (p=0.015). Partial response was observed in at least 90 % of cases across all severity groups, with no significant differences among them (p=0.218). No significant sex differences were found in full (p=0.642) or partial (p=0.322) response rates to CPAP therapy. Conclusions: The effectiveness of CPAP therapy varied with OSA severity when using strict criteria for treatment success. Patients with very severe OSA had the lowest rates of full therapeutic response. However, partial response rates were high across all severity levels. Overall, 91.21% of patients experienced either full resolution or reduction to mild OSA with CPAP therapy. Patients with the most severe OSA had the highest BMI and required the highest CPAP pressures. Sex did not influence treatment effectiveness between the groups. |