However, positive airway pressure therapy tied to lower rates of infection<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
TUESDAY, June 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased rates of COVID-19 infection, while positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is associated with lower COVID-19 infection rates, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, SLEEP 2021, held virtually from June 10 to 13.<\/p>\n
Dennis Hwang, M.D., from Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, and colleagues assessed the impact of OSA and PAP therapy on COVID-19 infection rate and severity. The analysis included 81,932 patients evaluated by Kaiser Permanente Southern California sleep medicine (2015 to 2020).<\/p>\n
The researchers report 1.8 percent of patients had COVID-19, with 0.3 percent requiring hospitalization and 0.07 percent resulting in intensive care or death. There was an association observed between increased severity of “untreated” OSA and a higher COVID-19 rate: no OSA, 1.7 percent; mild OSA, 2 percent; moderate OSA, 2 percent; severe OSA, 2.4 percent; OSA unknown severity, 2 percent; and treated OSA, 1.4 percent. There was also an association noted between better PAP adherence and a reduced infection rate: untreated OSA, 2.1 percent; moderately treated OSA, 1.7 percent; well-treated OSA, 1.3 percent; and no OSA, 1.7 percent). The investigators observed a dose-response association between OSA severity and infection rate (odds ratios for mild OSA and moderate-severe OSA versus no OSA, 1.21 and 1.27, respectively). There were no significant associations between OSA presence or PAP adherence and the rate of hospitalization, intensive care, or death.<\/p>\n
“Significant associations emerged with OSA increasing and PAP therapy reducing COVID-19 infection rate,” the authors write. “Findings support continued PAP use during the pandemic.”<\/p>\n
Two authors are employed by ResMed.<\/p>\n
Abstract<\/a><\/p>\n