A new study shows that positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy improves quality of life measures in people who have obstructive sleep apnea.

Results show that there were significant and clinically meaningful improvements in general quality of life and sleep-related quality of life measures after the initiation of PAP therapy for sleep apnea. The improvements were more robust in those who were adherent to PAP therapy.

“Quality of life is one of the most vital outcomes for patients and often one of the primary reasons to seek medical attention,” said lead author and principal investigator Dr. Harneet Walia, assistant professor at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University and staff at the Cleveland Clinic’s Sleep Disorders Center. “We noted consistent improvement in global and sleep-specific quality-of-life measures after PAP therapy.”

The study was published in the November 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

The study involved 2,027 patients with sleep apnea who began PAP therapy between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2014. Participants had a mean age of 56 years, and about 54% were men. General quality of life measures, such as mobility and usual activity, were assessed using the European Quality of Life-5D (EQ-5D) questionnaire. Sleep-specific quality of life was examined with the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ), which assesses the effect of sleep disorders and excessive daytime sleepiness on activities of daily living such as productivity and intimacy. Scores before and after up to one year of PAP therapy were compared.

Results also show that older patients and those in a higher socioeconomic subgroup had better quality of life measures after PAP therapy.

“Our study also serves as a basis for targeted efforts to optimize quality of life in younger adults and lower socioeconomic subgroups,” said Walia. “This information will guide clinicians in terms of expected quality of life outcomes with sleep apnea treatment.”

The artilce is titled, “Impact of Sleep-Disordered Breathing Treatment on Quality of Life Measures in a Large Clinic-Based Cohort.”