Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure for Sleep Apnea after Stroke: A Randomized, Crossover Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Study objectives

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common after stroke and predicts poor outcomes. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treats OSA but is generally poorly tolerated by stroke patients. We assessed whether nasal expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP), an alternative to CPAP, may be an effective option after acute stroke.

Methods

We conducted a randomized, controlled, two-period crossover study in which each acute ischemic stroke patient received 1 night of EPAP and 1 night without EPAP while OSA was monitored with a validated device, the Watch-PAT 200. Linear repeated- measures analyses were conducted. Sample size calculations indicated that 18 subjects would be required to detect a 10-point or larger average reduction in the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI

SUBMITTER: Wheeler NC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4990945 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature