Short-term and long-term influences of nasal continuous positive airway pressure to sleep architecture of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome

Objective: To observe the short-term and long-term influences of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) to sleep architecture of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Methods: Thirty cases who were diagnosed as OSAHS patients by polysomnography (PSG) were enrolled in the study. They received the nCPAP treatment in hospital at first night and then at home. Seventeen healthy adults were enrolled as control group and experienced PSG monitoring and recording. The sleep architectures of control group and OSAHS group (before nCPAP, first night on the nCPAP and 6 months after continuous nCPAP treatment) were analysed.

Results: The sleep shift number, first stage sleep, second stage sleep, stage of slow wave sleep and stage of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep were 34.41 +/- 10.16, (5.95 +/- 3.89)%, (48.13 +/- 7.68)%, (18.30 +/- 4.71)%, and (26.83 +/- 6.65)%, respectively, in control group. These parameters in OSAHS group before nCPAP were 207.30 +/- 149.80, (21.42 +/- 10.17)%, (55.24 +/- 13.28)%, (15.38 +/- 19.57)%, and (10.15 +/- 7.82)%, respectively. At the first night of nCPAP treatment they were 55.77 +/- 25.04, (10.92 +/- 9.62)%, (50.19 +/- 13.34)%, (17.53 +/- 10.06)%, and (21.17 +/- 7.66)%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between the PSG parameters before and after nCPAP treatment in OSAHS group (P < 0.05). After 6 months of nCPAP treatment, the stage of REM sleep was significantly shorter (P < 0.05), but the other parameters had no significant changes compared with those at the first night on nCPAP (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: The sleep shift number and first stage sleep in OSAHS group were significantly increased, but the stage of REM sleep was significantly decreased than those in control group. The sleep architecture of OSAHS was significantly improved when the nCPAP treatment was given continuously.