Impact of CPAP therapy on health-related quality of life in elderly patients with apnoea-hypopnea syndrome: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a chronic pathology characterised by the presence of repetitive upper airway obstruction during the sleep, the prevalence of which increases with the age [1], and for which continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the treatment of choice [2–4]. However, there have been few studies on diagnosis and management of OSA in elderly people. A qualitative systematic review of randomised clinical trials (RCTs) was conducted to evaluate the impact of CPAP therapy on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in OSA patients (aged >65 years), diagnosed by polysomnography or polygraphy and treated with CPAP for at least 3 months (>4 h·day−1 ). Studies whose primary outcome did not assess HRQL were excluded. Interventions were categorised according to whether or not they included CPAP treatment. The primary outcome was HRQL based on validated generic or specific questionnaires.