Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) for Primary Care

The objective of the study is to compare the results of a follow-up and treatment coordinate and interactive program performed by the General Practitioners (GP) for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) patients treated with positive continuous pressure (CPAP) vs. usual control by sleep specialists from the sleep unit.

METHODOLOGY: DESIGN: Randomized comparative study. It will include patients with diagnosis of severe OSA that should start treatment with CPAP. Participating center is Hospital Universitario Araba in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain). These patients will be randomized to two monitoring groups : 1 monitoring in the sleep unit; 2: monitoring in primary care consultations by the General Practitioners (GP), once the OSA diagnosis has been made and it was indicated the treatment with CPAP.

Patients will be carried out in both groups the same follow-up visits in two study arms: basal, 1 month, 3 month and 6 months. PRIMARY OUTCOME: To compare the objective CPAP compliance treatment in the two study groups, so that use >= 4h/day is defined as good adherence to the treatment. SECONDARY OUTCOMES: 1)To evaluate the level of patient's satisfaction by visual-analogical scales and quality of life tests; 2) to establish the clinical improvement by somnolence and sleep scales; 3) To determine the numbers of CPAP complications, type, severity and duration; 4) To figure-out the level of take care of the CPAP machine, substitutions and complements, assistance and technical incidents; 5) Cost-effectiveness analysis.