Large registry-based analysis of genetic predisposition to tuberculosis identifies genetic risk factors at HLA.

Tuberculosis is a significant public health concern resulting in the death of over 1 million individuals each year worldwide. While treatment options and vaccines exist, a substantial number of infections still remain untreated or are caused by treatment resistant strains. Therefore, it is important to identify mechanisms that contribute to risk and prognosis of tuberculosis as this may provide tools to understand disease mechanisms and provide novel treatment options for those with severe infection. Our goal was to identify genetic risk factors that contribute to the risk of tuberculosis and to understand biological mechanisms and causality behind the risk of tuberculosis. A total of 1895 individuals in the FinnGen study had International Classification of Diseases-based tuberculosis diagnosis. Genome-wide association study analysis identified genetic variants with statistically significant association with tuberculosis at the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region (P < 5e-8). Fine mapping of the HLA association provided evidence for one protective haplotype tagged by HLA DQB1*05:01 (P = 1.82E-06, OR = 0.81 [CI 95% 0.74-0.88]), and predisposing alleles tagged by HLA DRB1*13:02 (P = 0.00011, OR = 1.35 [CI 95% 1.16-1.57]). Furthermore, genetic correlation analysis showed association with earlier reported risk factors including smoking (P < 0.05). Mendelian randomization supported smoking as a risk factor for tuberculosis (inverse-variance weighted P < 0.05, OR = 1.83 [CI 95% 1.15-2.93]) with no significant evidence of pleiotropy. Our findings indicate that specific HLA alleles associate with the risk of tuberculosis. In addition, lifestyle risk factors such as smoking contribute to the risk of developing tuberculosis.

An eight-year follow-up study of Home Invasive Mechanical Ventilation in Finland.

BACKGROUND: Studies on long-term invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) via tracheostomy in chronic respiratory insufficiency are limited. The aim of this study was to clarify the use of HIMV (home invasive mechanical ventilation) within the Finnish population and to analyze the characteristics and survival rate of HIMV patients from 2015 to 2022. METHODS: Data on HIMV patients was collected annually from all Finnish Hospital District patient registries between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2022. Data included basic demographic data of the patients, underlying diagnosis, time from diagnosis to HIMV initiation, treatment duration, and mortality. RESULTS: This study included 179 patients. In 2015, there were 107 HIMV patients, and as of December 31, 2022, there were 95 patients. During the eight-year follow-up period, 84 patients (46.9%) died and there were 67 new patients between 2015 and2022. The prevalence of HIMV treatment in Finland was 2.4/100,000 on January 1,2015, and 1.8/ 100 000 on December 31, 2022. The average number of years living with HIMV for deceased patients at death was 10.1 ± 10.5 years largely depending on the underlying diagnosis. Of all the HIMV treatments, 32% were elective. CONCLUSIONS: HIMV is a rare treatment in Finland, and based on our 8-year follow-up, prevalence of HIMV is diminishing. Given the high demands, and significant costs associated with HIMV, it is essential to prepare for long treatment, when planning HIMV. It is also advisable to prolong non-invasive ventilation (NIV) treatments for as long as possible.

The prevalence of non-invasive ventilation and long-term oxygen treatment in Helsinki University Hospital area, Finland.

BACKGROUND: Chronic respiratory failure (CRF) can be treated at home with non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and/or long-term oxygen (LTOT). The prevalence of these treatments is largely unknown. We aimed to clarify the prevalence and indications of the treatments, and the three-year mortality of the treated patients in the Helsinki University Hospital (HUH) area in Finland. METHODS: In this retrospective study we analyzed the prevalence of adult CRF patients treated with NIV and/or LTOT on 1.1.2018 and followed these patients until 1.1.2021. Data collected included the underlying diagnosis, patient characteristics, information on treatment initiation and from the last follow-up visit, and mortality during the three-year follow-up. Patients with home invasive mechanical ventilation or sleep apnea were excluded. RESULTS: On 1.1.2018, we had a total of 815 patients treated with NIV and/or LTOT in the Helsinki University Hospital (HUH) area, with a population of 1.4 million. The prevalence of NIV was 35.4 per 100,000, of LTOT 24.6 per 100,000 and of the treatments combined 60.0 per 100,000. Almost half, 44.5%, were treated with NIV, 41.0% with LTOT, and 14.4% underwent both. The most common diagnostic groups were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (33.3%) and obesity-hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) (26.6%). The three-year mortality in all patients was 45.2%. In the COPD and OHS groups the mortality was 61.3% and 21.2%. In NIV treated patients, the treatment durations varied from COPD patients 5.3 years to restrictive chest wall disease patients 11.4 years. The age-adjusted Charlson co-morbidity index (ACCI) median for all patients was 3.0. CONCLUSIONS: NIV and LTOT are common treatments in CRF. The prevalence in HUH area was comparable to other western countries. As the ACCI index shows, the treated patients were fragile, with multiple co-morbidities, and their mortality was high. Treatment duration and survival vary greatly depending on the underlying diagnosis.

Lung function and exercise capacity 6 months after hospital discharge for critical COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The significant morbidity caused by COVID-19 necessitates further understanding of long-term recovery. Our aim was to evaluate long-term lung function, exercise capacity, and radiological findings in patients after critical COVID-19. METHODS: Patients who received treatment in ICU for COVID-19 between March 2020 and January 2021 underwent pulmonary function tests, a 6MWD and CXR 6 months after hospital discharge. RESULTS: A restrictive ventilatory defect was found in 35% (23/65) and an impaired diffusing capacity in 52% (32/62) at 6 months. The 6-minute walk distance was reduced in 33% (18/55), and 7% (4/55) of the patients had reduced exercise capacity. Chest X-ray was abnormal in 78% (52/67) at 6 months after hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: A significant number of patients had persisting lung function impairment and radiological abnormalities at 6 months after critical COVID-19. Reduced exercise capacity was rare.

Willingness score obtained after a short CPAP trial predicts CPAP use at 1 year.

PURPOSE: To predict continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) adherence at 1 year. METHODS: We followed consecutive OSA patients scheduled for CPAP initiation for 1 year. Patients completed a self-efficacy questionnaire (5 = low, 25 = high score) before CPAP initiation. After CPAP initiation, we enquired about patients' satisfaction in CPAP trial and their eagerness and willingness to continue CPAP therapy (0 = unsatisfied, uneager, or refused CPAP; 100 = satisfied, eager, or willing to continue CPAP treatment). RESULTS: Of the 580 patients we followed, 377 continued CPAP therapy beyond 1 year. A low willingness score (<50) was expressed by 77 patients but only 7 of them used CPAP >4 h daily at 1 year, yielding a specificity of 97 % in predicting CPAP failure. At 1 year, patients with a self-efficacy score >20, expressed prior to CPAP initiation, used CPAP more often than the patients with a score <20 (average use 4.4 ± 2.2 h vs. 3.7 ± 2.3 h, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A low score of willingness to continue CPAP therapy after a short trial predicts CPAP failure and poor CPAP adherence at 1 year.

Short- and long-term effects of imatinib in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A randomized trial.

OBJECTIVES: We studied the short- and long-term effects of imatinib in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. METHODS: Participants were randomized to receive standard of care (SoC) or SoC with imatinib. Imatinib dosage was 400 mg daily until discharge (max 14 days). Primary outcomes were mortality at 30 days and 1 year. Secondary outcomes included recovery, quality of life and long COVID symptoms at 1 year. We also performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials studying imatinib for 30-day mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: We randomized 156 patients (73 in SoC and 83 in imatinib). Among patients on imatinib, 7.2% had died at 30 days and 13.3% at 1 year, and in SoC, 4.1% and 8.2% (adjusted HR 1.35, 95% CI 0.47-3.90). At 1 year, self-reported recovery occurred in 79.0% in imatinib and in 88.5% in SoC (RR 0.91, 0.78-1.06). We found no convincing difference in quality of life or symptoms. Fatigue (24%) and sleep issues (20%) frequently bothered patients at one year. In the meta-analysis, imatinib was associated with a mortality risk ratio of 0.73 (0.32-1.63; low certainty evidence). CONCLUSIONS: The evidence raises doubts regarding benefit of imatinib in reducing mortality, improving recovery and preventing long COVID symptoms in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Screening of snoring with an MP3 recorder.

PURPOSE: Snoring patients seeking medical assistance represent a wide range of clinical and sleep study findings from nonsleepy nonapneic snoring to severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The prevalence of snoring is high and it significantly impacts quality of life. Its objective diagnosis usually requires a sleep study. We developed a system to analyze snoring sounds with a Moving Picture Experts Group Layer-3 Audio (MP3) recorder device and present its value in the screening of snoring. METHODS: We recorded snoring sounds during in-lab polysomnography (PSG) in 200 consecutive patients referred for a suspicion of obstructive sleep apnea. Snoring was recorded during the PSG with two microphones: one attached to the throat and the other to the ceiling; an MP3 device was attached to the patient's collar. Snoring was confirmed when the MP3 acoustic signal exceeded twice the median value of the acoustic signal for the entire recording. Results of the MP3 snoring recording were compared to the snoring recordings from the PSG. RESULTS: MP3 recording proved technically successful for 87% of the patients. The Pearson correlation between PSG snoring and MP3 snoring was highly significant at 0.77 (p < 0.001). The MP3 recording device underestimated the snoring time by a mean ± SD of 32 ± 55 min. CONCLUSIONS: The recording of snoring with an MP3 device provides reliable information about the patient's snoring.

Successful treatment of persisting SARS-CoV-2 infection in an immunocompromised patient with repeated nirmatrelvir/ritonavir courses: a case report.

BACKGROUND: In immunocompromised patients, persistent SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding and relapsing COVID-19 pneumonia have been described. Currently, little is known about the management of persisting COVID-19, and immunocompromised patients are recommended to be treated using antivirals and immunomodulatory therapies at similar doses and durations as the general population. Previous case reports have described treatment with repeated and prolonged courses of remdesivir and some evidence is emerging in the use of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir combination (NMV/r). METHODS: We describe a patient with recent chemotherapy including rituximab for follicular lymphoma with persisting SARS-CoV-2 infection. Polymerase chain reaction tests (PCR), cycle threshold values and blood SARS-CoV-2 antigen levels were evaluated. RESULTS: The patient presented with persisting SARS-CoV-2 with relapsing COVID-19 pneumonia. The patient was treated successfully with repeated courses of NMV/r without any observed adverse effects. After the third, prolonged course, the patient remained afebrile and PCR negative, and no relapses have been observed four months after the third NMV/r course. CONCLUSIONS: Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir could offer a more accessible alternative to remdesivir. Further research and guidelines for persisting SARS-CoV-2 infection in immunocompromised patients are urgently needed.

Successful pregnancy and cesarean delivery in a tetraplegic, home-invasively-mechanically-ventilated patient - case report.

INTRODUCTION: Pregnancies are rare in patients with severely disabilitating spinal cord injuries (SCI) but increasing alongside social awareness concerning reproductive equality. Physicians should be aware of several potential complications during pregnancy and delivery, particularly autonomic dysreflexia. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a successful pregnancy of a 32-year-old woman with a severe SCI at the C2 level (C1-4 ASIA Impairment Scale grade A) and total dependency on home invasive mechanical ventilation (HIMV), an extremely rare treatment. An elective cesarean section was chosen as the delivery mode at 34 + 0 weeks of gestation. Both the mother and the child recovered well. DISCUSSION: Severe spinal cord injury and dependency on mechanical ventilation are not absolute contraindications for pregnancy. With careful planning, pregnancy is possible also for patients with the most severe forms of SCI. Adequate pain relief during cesarean delivery is required despite complete spinal cord injury in order to avoid excessive hemodynamic responses and spinal reflexes. A multidisciplinary team is needed to ensure safe pregnancy and delivery of these high-risk pregnancies.

Changes in the societal burden caused by sleep apnoea in Finland from 1996 to 2018: A national registry study.

BACKGROUND: In the current century, sleep apnoea has become a significant public health problem due to the obesity epidemic. To increase awareness, improve diagnostics, and improve treatment, Finland implemented a national sleep apnoea programme from 2002 to 2010. Here, we present changes in the societal burden caused by sleep apnoea from 1996 to 2018. METHODS: National register data were collected from the Care Register for Health Care, Statistics Finland, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, and the Finnish Centre for Pensions. Disease prevalence, use of healthcare and social services, and societal costs were estimated. FINDINGS: The number of sleep apnoea patients increased in secondary care from 8 600 in 1996 to 61 000 in 2018. There was a continuous increase in outpatient visits in secondary care from 9 700 in 1996 to 122 000 in 2018 (1 160%) and in primary care from 10 000 in 2015 to 29 000 in 2018 (190%). Accordingly, the cumulative annual number of days off work for sleep apnoea increased from 1 100 to 46 000. However, disability pensions for sleep apnoea decreased from 820 to 550 (33%) during the observation period. Societal costs per patient decreased over 50% during the observation period (€2 800 to €1 200). INTERPRETATION: The number of sleep apnoea patients in Finland increased remarkably during the observation period. To control this burden, diagnostic methods and treatment were revised and follow up was reorganised. Consequently, there was a significant decrease in societal costs per patient. The decrease in disability pensions suggests earlier diagnosis and improved treatment. The national sleep apnoea programme was one of the initiators for these improved outcomes. FUNDING: The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUH), Helsinki, Finland.

Effect of remdesivir post hospitalization for COVID-19 infection from the randomized SOLIDARITY Finland trial.

We report the first long-term follow-up of a randomized trial (NCT04978259) addressing the effects of remdesivir on recovery (primary outcome) and other patient-important outcomes one year after hospitalization resulting from COVID-19. Of the 208 patients recruited from 11 Finnish hospitals, 198 survived, of whom 181 (92%) completed follow-up. At one year, self-reported recovery occurred in 85% in remdesivir and 86% in standard of care (SoC) (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.47-1.90). We infer no convincing difference between remdesivir and SoC in quality of life or symptom outcomes (p > 0.05). Of the 21 potential long-COVID symptoms, patients reported moderate/major bother from fatigue (26%), joint pain (22%), and problems with memory (19%) and attention/concentration (18%). In conclusion, after a one-year follow-up of hospitalized patients, one in six reported they had not recovered well from COVID-19. Our results provide no convincing evidence of remdesivir benefit, but wide confidence intervals included possible benefit and harm.

Male predominance in disease severity and mortality in a low Covid-19 epidemic and low case-fatality area - a population-based registry study.

BACKGROUND: Men reportedly suffer from a more severe disease and higher mortality during the global SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) pandemic. We analysed sex differences in a low epidemic area with low overall mortality in Covid-19 in a population based setting with patients treated in specialized healthcare. METHODS: We entered all hospitalized laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 cases of all specialized healthcare hospitals of the Capital Province of Finland, into a population-based quality registry and described demographics, severity and case-fatality by sex of the first Covid-19 wave February-June 2020. RESULTS: Altogether 5471 patients (49% male) were identified. Patients hospitalized in the specialist healthcare (N = 585, 54% male, OR 1.25; 95% CI 1.05-1.48) were of the same age. Men had less asthma and thyroid insufficiency and more coronary artery disease compared to women. Mean time from symptom onset to diagnosis was at least one day longer for men (p=.005). Men required intensive care unit (ICU) more often (27% vs. 17%) with longer lengths-of-stays at ICU. Male sex associated with significantly higher case-fatality at 90-days (15% vs. 8%) and all excess male deaths occurring after three weeks from onset. Men with fatal outcomes had delays in both Covid-19 testing and hospital admission after a positive test. The delays in patients with the most severe and fatal outcomes differed markedly by sex. In multivariable analysis, male sex associated independently with case-fatality (OR 2.37; 95% CI 1.22-4.59). CONCLUSIONS: Male sex associated with higher disease severity and case-fatality. Late presentation of male fatal cases could represent different treatment-seeking behaviour or disease progression by sex.

Real-life clinical sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test in symptomatic patients.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the false negative rates of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing is pivotal for the management of the COVID-19 pandemic and it has implications for patient management. Our aim was to determine the real-life clinical sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. METHODS: This population-based retrospective study was conducted in March-April 2020 in the Helsinki Capital Region, Finland. Adults who were clinically suspected of SARS-CoV-2 infection and underwent SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing, with sufficient data in their medical records for grading of clinical suspicion were eligible. In addition to examining the first RT-PCR test of repeat-tested individuals, we also used high clinical suspicion for COVID-19 as the reference standard for calculating the sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. RESULTS: All 1,194 inpatients (mean [SD] age, 63.2 [18.3] years; 45.2% women) admitted to COVID-19 cohort wards during the study period were included. The outpatient cohort of 1,814 individuals (mean [SD] age, 45.4 [17.2] years; 69.1% women) was sampled from epidemiological line lists by systematic quasi-random sampling. The sensitivity (95% CI) for laboratory confirmed cases (repeat-tested patients) was 85.7% (81.5-89.1%) inpatients; 95.5% (92.2-97.5%) outpatients, 89.9% (88.2-92.1%) all. When also patients that were graded as high suspicion but never tested positive were included in the denominator, the sensitivity (95% CI) was: 67.5% (62.9-71.9%) inpatients; 34.9% (31.4-38.5%) outpatients; 47.3% (44.4-50.3%) all. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing was only moderate at best. The relatively high false negative rates of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing need to be accounted for in clinical decision making, epidemiological interpretations, and when using RT-PCR as a reference for other tests.

Frequency of upper airway symptoms before and during continuous positive airway pressure treatment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Upper airway side effects are common during nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) treatment and may affect the use of nCPAP. OBJECTIVES: It was our aim to evaluate the prevalence of upper airway symptoms in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients before and during nCPAP treatment and to assess the possible association between the symptoms and long-term adherence to the treatment. METHODS: We examined 385 consecutive OSAS patients (79% men, mean age ± SD 52 ± 10 years and apnea-hypopnea index 33 ± 23) by means of a prospective questionnaire-based survey. The patients filled in questionnaires about upper airway symptoms before starting nCPAP and after 2 months of treatment. RESULTS: Upper airway symptoms were common before starting nCPAP: 61% of the patients reported dryness of mouth, 54% dryness of throat, 52% nasal stuffiness, 51% dryness of nose, 30% sneezing, 24% mucus in throat, 17% rhinorrhea, and 6% nose bleeds daily or almost daily. In CPAP users there was a significant decline in the number of patients with frequent mouth (37%), throat (34%), nose (28%) dryness and nasal stuffiness (24%). There was no difference in upper airway symptoms before nCPAP treatment between those who continued the treatment after 1 year and those who terminated the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The most common upper airway symptoms in patients with untreated OSAS seem to be associated with mucosal dryness. These symptoms improved during nCPAP treatment probably due to the change in breathing pattern. The occurrence of upper airway symptoms before nCPAP start did not predict long-term adherence to the treatment.

Effect of ventilation therapy on mortality rate among obesity hypoventilation syndrome and obstructive sleep apnoea patients.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of obesity is continually increasing worldwide, which increases the incidence of obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) and its consequent mortality. METHODS: We reviewed the therapy mode, comorbidity and mortality of all OHS patients treated at our hospital between 2005 and 2016. The control group consisted of randomly selected patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) treated during the same period. RESULTS: We studied 206 OHS patients and 236 OSA patients. The OHS patients were older (56.3 versus 52.3 years, p<0.001) and heavier (body mass index 46.1 versus 32.2 kg·m-2, p<0.001), and the percentage of women was higher (41.2% versus 24.2%, p<0.001), respectively. The OHS patients had more hypertension (83% versus 61%, p<0.001) and diabetes (62% versus 31%, p<0.001) than the OSA patients, but no higher stroke (4% versus 8%, p=0.058) or ischaemic heart disease (14% versus 15%, p=0.437) incidence. The 5- and 10-year, unadjusted survival rates were lower among the OHS patients than among the OSA patients (83% versus 96% and 74% versus 91%, respectively; p<0.001). Differences in mortality rates were not related to age, sex or body mass index; covariates such as Charlson Comorbidity Index and ventilation therapy predicted survival. The mortality rate decreased significantly (p<0.001) both in OHS and OSA patients even after adjusting for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality rate in OHS was significantly higher than that in OSA patients even after adjusting for covariates. Ventilation therapy by continuous positive airway pressure or noninvasive ventilation have reduced mortality significantly in all patients.

Home invasive mechanical ventilation in Finland in 2015-2019.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of long-term invasive mechanical ventilation via tracheostomy in chronic respiratory insufficiency is largely unknown. We aimed to clarify prevalence and aetiology of the use of home invasive mechanical ventilation (HIMV) in Finland in 2015-2019. METHODS: Information on HIMV patients was collected yearly from all Finnish Hospital District patient registries between 1 January 2015 and 1 January 2019. Data included underlying diagnosis, time from diagnosis to HIMV initiation, treatment length, mortality and basic sociodemographic data. RESULTS: In 2015, we had 107 HIMV patients. During the follow-up we received 34 new patients (24.1%) and 46 patients (32.6%) died. In 2019, we had 95 HIMV patients and the prevalence in Finland was 2.0 in 100 000. The most common diagnoses were motor neurone disease (29.1%) and spinal cord injuries (19.9%). Mean duration of HIMV among all patients on 1 January 2019 was 12.3 years and among deceased patients, 11.2 years. Treatment durations ranged from 7.7 years for motor neurone disease patients to 47.3 years for post-polio syndrome patients. Most patients (81.6%) used HIMV 24 h·day-1. CONCLUSIONS: HIMV is a rare, long-lasting treatment, most often used in chronic hypoventilation caused by chronic neurological disease. Based on our 4 year follow-up the prevalence of HIMV seems to be diminishing in Finland. Treatment duration and survival vary greatly depending on the underlying diagnosis. Most of the patients were totally dependent on HIMV, requiring 24-h care.

Validation of the Finnish severe respiratory insufficiency questionnaire.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic respiratory insufficiency impacts patients' lives and reduces quality of life. The Severe Respiratory Insufficiency (SRI) questionnaire examines health-related quality of life and is designed specifically for patients receiving home mechanical ventilation (HMV) for chronic respiratory failure (CRF). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to validate the Finnish version of the SRI and study its reproducibility in patients with CRF. METHODS: Our 74 patients receiving HMV or long-term oxygen treatment for CRF or both completed the SRI and St George's Respiratory questionnaires (SGRQ) three times (at baseline, and then one week and one month later). Reliability and validity of the questionnaires was analysed with Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient. Patients were prospectively followed up for 5 years, with data collected on their use of hospital services and mortality. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha in the SRI ranged from 0.67 to 0.88 and was >0.7 on all subscales except the "attendant symptoms and sleep". On four subscales, Cronbach's alpha was >0.8, and on the summary scale, 0.95. The SRI showed high correlation with SGRQ. Both tests showed good reproducibility. During the 5-year follow-up, 27 (36%) patients died. CONCLUSIONS: The Finnish SRI proved valid, reliable and reproducible. Its psychometric properties were good and similar to those of the original questionnaire and of other validation studies.

Persistence of Upper-Airway Symptoms During CPAP Compromises Adherence at 1 Year.

BACKGROUND: The most common adverse effects of CPAP are related to the upper airways. We evaluated upper-airway symptoms before and after a CPAP trial as well as their effect on CPAP adherence. We also evaluated the effect of humidification added to CPAP therapy on upper-airway symptoms. METHODS: We followed for 1 y 536 subjects with obstructive sleep apnea scheduled consecutively for CPAP initiation. Subjects completed visual analog questionnaires on nasal stuffiness, rhinorrhea, and mouth dryness (0 = no symptoms, 100 = severe symptoms). RESULTS: Before CPAP initiation, mean nasal stuffiness score was 29.6 ± 24.9, rhinorrhea score was 16.0 ± 21.7, and mouth dryness score was 43.8 ± 33.1. In subjects who quit CPAP treatment before the 1-y follow-up, the increase in rhinorrhea score during CPAP initiation was significant, 5.3 (95% CI 0.5-9.5, P = .02), and in those using CPAP at 1 y, nasal stuffiness score and mouth dryness score decreased significantly during initiation, -5.1 (95% CI -7.9 to -2.4, P < .001) and -21.2 (-25.5 to -17.4, P < .001). Mouth dryness score decreased significantly with CPAP regardless of humidification: change with humidification, -18.1 (95% CI -22.1 to -14.3), P < .001; change without, -10.5 (95% CI -16.9 to -4.1), P = .002. Humidification also prevented the aggravation of rhinorrhea (change, -0.4 [95% CI -2.6 to 1.9], P = .75) and alleviated nasal stuffiness (change -5.3 [95% CI -7.8 to -2.6], P < .001) with CPAP, whereas its absence induced a significant rise in symptom scores: change in rhinorrhea, 11.5 (95% CI 7.1-16.7), P < .001; change in nasal stuffiness, 8.5 (95% CI 3.9-13.5, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The severity of upper-airway symptoms before CPAP does not predict CPAP use at 1 y, whereas CPAP non-users at 1 y had smaller or no alleviation in symptom scores during initiation compared with those who continued CPAP treatment.

Upper airway symptoms in primary snoring and in sleep apnea.

CONCLUSIONS: Upper airway symptoms were common in subjects referred for sleep study. In particular, nasal stuffiness and airway dryness already seemed to bother snorers before development of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Mouth dryness increased with severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OBJECTIVES: Upper airway symptoms are common in patients with OSAS. However, prevalence of these symptoms is unknown in primary snoring and mild OSA. We evaluated frequency of upper airway symptoms in a large group of patients referred for diagnostic sleep studies. METHODS: We examined 524 consecutive subjects (69% men, mean ± SD age 51 ± 12 years, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) 15 ± 21, body mass index 31 ± 6) by a questionnaire-based survey. The subjects filled in a questionnaire enquiring about current upper airway symptoms and history of nasal and pharyngeal disorders before the sleep study. RESULTS: Frequent upper airway symptoms among study subjects were common: 56% of the patients reported throat dryness, 55% mouth dryness, 54% nasal stuffiness, 52% nose dryness, 33% sneezing, 33% postnasal drip, and 24% rhinorrhea. The patients with moderate or severe OSAS (AHI ≥15 and Epworth sleepiness score ≥10) suffered from mouth dryness more often (71% vs 40%, p < 0.01) than those with mild or no OSAS.