Combining MAD and CPAP as an effective strategy for treating patients with severe sleep apnea intolerant to high-pressure PAP and unresponsive to MAD

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to determine the effect of combining positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy and mandibular advancement device (MAD) in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who were pressure intolerant for PAP and were unresponsive to MAD. METHODS This retrospective study reviewed the medical records of severe OSA patients with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 30/hr who were diagnosed between October 1, 2008 and June 30, 2014. Patients were initially treated with 2 weeks of PAP, and those who were intolerant to high-pressure PAP (≥15 cm H2O) were switched to 12 weeks of MAD, which is a monobloc designed at 75% of maximum protrusion. Patients who had high residual AHI (≥15/hr) on MAD underwent 12 weeks of combination therapy (CT) with MAD and CPAP and were enrolled in the present study. Enrolled subjects who completed the 12-week CT were followed-up until June 30, 2016. RESULTS A total of 14 male patients were included. All three treatments effectively reduced AHI, oxygen desaturation index (ODI), and total sleep time with SpO2 <90% (% TST-SpO2<90%) compared to pretreatment values. The residual AHI and ODI on CT was lower than that on MAD or PAP. The residual % TST-SpO2<90% was lower than that on MAD and similar to that on PAP. The therapeutic pressure on CT was on average 9.2 cm H2O lower than that on PAP. For the 11 patients who completed CT, only CT reduced ESS compared to pretreatment value. No treatment had significant impact on % slow wave sleep or overnight change of blood pressure. For patients who completed CT, the average usage was 5.9±1.7 hr/night at 12th week and 6.4±1.5 hr/night at a median follow-up of 36.5-months. CONCLUSIONS Combining MAD and CPAP showed additive effects on reducing AHI and ODI, and lowered the therapeutic pressures.