4 class=""h4"">Background4>Several studies have analysed adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy but little is known on the effects of age and gender.
4 class=""h4"">Methods4>
Data from 4281 patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treated with CPAP (S8, ResMed, Sydney, Australia) were analysed, including apnea¨Chypopnea index (AHI), mask pressure, leakage, period of use (hours of use/night), and efficiency (days of use/total days). Patterns of use and treatment efficacy were compared between different age groups and genders.4 class=""h4"">Results4>
Average numbers of days used per week (range of the subgroups 5.8 ¡À 1.6 to 6.3 ¡À 1.2 days/week) and period of use (range 363 ¡À 88 to 395 ¡À 120 min) increased with age. Residual AHICPAP (range 4.8 ¡À 3.4 to 11.1 ¡À 9.0/h), leakage (range 0.09 ¡À 0.11 to 0.27 ¡À 0.32 l/s) increased significantly with age. Males had statistically significantly higher average hours of use (377 ¡À 94 vs. 370 ¡À 96 min), AHICPAP (6.4 ¡À 4.9 vs. 5.4 ¡À 4.5/h), mask pressure (8.8 ¡À 2.0 vs. 8.4 ¡À 1.9 cm H2O), and leakage (0.13 ¡À 0.16 vs. 0.11 ¡À 0.15 l/s) than females.4 class=""h4"">Conclusion4>
Adherence to therapy is high and therapeutic efficacy is excellent in long-term CPAP users. Adherence is both age- and gender-dependent, but the differences are small and not clinically relevant.
