Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is effective at increasing work productivity, according to a new study.
The study will be presented today (11 April 2013) at the Sleep and
Breathing Conference in Berlin, organised by the European Respiratory
Society and the European Sleep Research Society.
Previous research has demonstrated that people with sleep apnoea are
less productive at work, usually due to excessive daytime sleepiness.
This study aimed to assess whether continuous positive airway pressure
(CPAP) improved productivity at work.
The researchers used the Endicott Work Productivity Scale, a questionnaire designed to assess productivity at work, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale,
a globally accepted questionnaire which assesses daytime sleepiness.
Included were 45 patients with sleep apnoea of working age (between 40
and 56 years), who completed the questionnaires at the outset and after 3
months of CPAP treatment.
The results showed that 35 of the patients who had good adherence to
CPAP treatment showed significant improvement in their productivity at
work and in their daytime sleepiness. The 10 patients who did not follow
the treatment programme had no significant improvement in symptoms or
work productivity.
Lead author, Evangelia Nena MD, PhD, said: “Continuous positive
airway pressure (CPAP) is the gold standard treatment for
moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Previous research has shown
the potential benefits of CPAP to patients' health and quality of life
and our findings add to this body of evidence, demonstrating the
advantages the treatment can have on productivity at work.”
Dan Smyth, Sleep Apnoea Europe, said: “This study underlines the
positive benefits of compliant use of Continuous Positive Airway
Pressure (CPAP) Treatment Therapy for Sleep Apnoea sufferers. It also
confirms that the symptoms of the condition can be controlled and that
the patient can remain an effective member of the workforce.”
Press and media activities for the ERS are managed by the European
Lung Foundation, which was founded to communicate the work of the ERS
to those outside the respiratory field.
Source: AlphaGalileo