Authors' objectives:

To review the evidence for the efficacy, effectiveness, and costs of auto-titrating nasal continuous positive airway pressure (APAP) devices in their use for: - diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - titration to determine pressure values for treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) - treatment of OSA using variable-pressure mode

Authors' recommendations: On the basis of the available literature, APAP shows promise but should be used with caution until further studies establish its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Observational studies show that there is a potential use for APAP for the diagnosis of OSA, although its efficacy in auto-titration (unattended adjustment of pressure) has not been established. Further validation is needed from studies with stronger methodology. For the treatment of OSA, studies show that APAP uses a lower treatment pressure than CPAP. However, clinical outcomes with APAP are no better than those with CPAP, and it is uncertain whether there is better compliance with APAP. Potential safety issues for patients suffering from cardiac, pulmonary, and other medical conditions arise if APAP is used in settings without prompt access to technical support.

Authors' methods: Systematic review

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: https://www.ccohta.ca/

Year Published: 2003

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Canada

Organisation Name: Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment

Contact Address: 600-865 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1S 5S8 Canada. Tel: +1 613 226 2553, Fax: +1 613 226 5392;

Contact Name: requests@cadth.ca

Contact Email: requests@cadth.ca

Copyright: Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment (CCOHTA)