An empirical continuous positive airway pressure trial for suspected obstructive sleep apnea.

BACKGROUND: Standard practice in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) management requires that a positive diagnostic, overnight polysomnography (PSG) test be obtained before initiating treatment. However, long waiting times due to lack of access to PSG testing facilities may delay the initiation of definitive treatment for OSA. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the response of patients who had a high clinical suspicion for OSA and who were waiting for a PSG test to an empirical continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) trial. METHODS: A retrospective study of all patients who had been offered empirical CPAP therapy for suspected OSA was conducted. After outpatient assessment, 183 patients with a high pretest probability of having OSA began empirical CPAP testing using an arbitrary CPAP pressure. The presence of OSA, the accuracy of empirical CPAP pressure prescription, the adherence to empirical CPAP and the improvement in daytime somnolence were evaluated at the time of PSG. RESULTS: Of 183 patients on a CPAP trial, 91% had OSA, which was at least moderate (more than 15 apneas and hypopneas per hour of sleep) in 75% of the patients. Eighty per cent of the patients had significant daytime somnolence (Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESS] greater than 10, mean +/- SD ESS 14+/-5), which improved with CPAP (ESS 9.0+/-5, P<0.01). In 40% of the patients, the arbitrary CPAP pressure was lower than that determined by manual titration. Adherence to a trial of CPAP (longer than 2 h/night) predicted OSA with a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 41%; the positive and negative predictive values were 92% and 22%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: At the time of PSG testing, OSA was present in 91% of the patients who had received empirical CPAP. An empirical CPAP provided satisfactory interim treatment for excessive somnolence, despite the fact that the CPAP pressure was suboptimal in 40% of the patients.

Effects of increasing carboxyhemoglobin on the single breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity.

Although carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) is often increased in smokers, American Thoracic Society recommendations for adjusting the single breath carbon monoxide (CO) diffusing capacity (DL(CO)(SB)) for COHb remain optional. Using a previously described 3-equation technique, we measured DL(CO)(SB) and an index of diffusion inhomogeneity (DI) in 10 healthy, nonsmoking subjects who performed DL(CO)(SB) maneuvers both before and after increasing COHb. CO backpressure (FA(CO)) was measured from the exhaled gas of a standardized deep breath of room air that immediately preceded each DL(CO)(SB) and was validated by measurement of FA(CO) from an identical "sham" maneuver without inhaling CO. Without adjustments for FA(CO) or COHb, DL(CO)(SB) decreased with increasing COHb. This effect persisted when DL(CO)(SB) was adjusted only for FA(CO), but it was eliminated with further adjustment for the anemia effect of increasing COHb. The anemia adjustment was proportional to the fractional COHb. DI, adjusted for FA(CO), was unaffected by increasing COHb. We conclude that DL(CO)(SB) must be adjusted for both the buildup of CO backpressure and the anemia effect of increasing COHb. Adequate corrections of DL(CO)(SB) can be implemented using FA(CO) measured during a standardized deep breath immediately preceding the DL(CO)(SB) maneuver. Current American Thoracic Society recommendations for DL(CO)(SB) standardization do not adequately compensate for COHb.