Document resource
Introduction Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy is the gold standard treatment for patients with sleep apnoea, but compliance remains a challenge. Post COVID our hospitals provided CPAP machines on a collection only basis with no physiologist input until the 1st F/U call. We have now implemented a more interactive approach, involving hands-on mask fitting, real-time airflow, and patient education. A study showed that long-term CPAP compliance can be predicted as early as three days following CPAP initiations (Budhiraja et al. Sleep 2007; 320–4). This study looks at the comparison on whether this change has improved patient compliance by analysing CPAP usage in the first 14 days of use. We aim to identify if a hands-on approach enhances compliance, comfort, and long-term therapy success.Methods This study compared, a retrospective comparison of two groups of 100 patients between June 2024 – February 2025: One receiving CPAP therapy before the interactive approach and the other after its implementation. Data on CPAP usage, including the total number of days and hours used within the first 14 days of therapy, were collected and analysed for both groups to assess improvements in compliance.Results The pre-interactive group averaged 9.21 days and 52.4 hours of CPAP use in the first 14 days (standard deviation of 5.25 and 41.13). The post-interactive group indicated a slight improvement, averaging 9.54 days and 57.9 hours of use (standard deviation of 5.17 and 43.32), a 3.58% and 10.49% increase. The results suggest that the new approach enhanced both compliance and usage duration.Conclusions The results indicate a slight improvement in CPAP compliance with the new approach, suggesting that the changes made to mask fitting and patient engagement have positively impacted usage. While the difference is subtle, it highlights that a more personalised approach has made a measurable difference in patient compliance. For future research, it would be beneficial to gather patient feedback forms to better understand the patient experience and identify specific factors influencing compliance. Additionally, increasing the sample size would provide more robust data and a clearer understanding of the long-term effects of the new approach on patient compliance.