Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) represents a real advance in the management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Our data show that except for awakenings, all sleep and respiratory parameters were significantly improved (p less than 0.05) in favor of the group treated with NCPAP. A main problem with NCPAP is the acceptance by the patient; it also may disturb the sleep, at least, ...

OBJECTIVES To assess and compare the effect of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP), inspiratory pressure support (PSV), and bilevel positive airway pressure (biPAP) on ventilatory parameters and inspiratory work (WOB) in normocapnic and hypercapnic patients with stable COPD. METHODS While administering nasal pressure support to 10 normocapnic and 10 hypercapnic patients with COP...

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) is now the treatment of choice for patients with sleep apnoea syndrome. Side-effects and adverse reactions have been described in isolated reports with this device. We have, therefore, systematically studied the side-effects of nCPAP therapy in 300 consecutive patients referred to the London Chest Hospital Ventilatory Support Unit. Ninety-six pe...

The study's objective was to evaluate the association between neonatal ventilatory support and the subsequent occurrence of respiratory diseases in children up to six years of age. This was a population-based birth cohort study. The main exposure was ventilatory support at birth, defined as the use of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) and/or mechanical ventilation (MV) for more ...

Correct assessment of the overall treatment effectiveness requires knowledge about therapy compliance and efficacy. This study aimed to determine overall long-term apnoea alleviation after continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in a complete sleep laboratory cohort. Out of 209 consecutive CPAP candidates (mean age 57+/-12 yrs, body mass index (BMI) 30.0+/-5.1 kg x m2, respiratory disturbanc...

BACKGROUND The optimal strategy for weaning very preterm infants from nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) is unclear. Reported strategies include weaning NCPAP to a predefined pressure then trialling stopping completely (abrupt wean); alternate periods of increased time off NCPAP whilst reducing time on until the infant is completely weaned (gradual wean); and using high flow nasa...

Concerns remain regarding patient compliance with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP). Poor objective compliance during the first months of treatment has been reported, but no data are available among chronically treated patients. Use of nCPAP, in 17 chronically treated obstructive sleep apnoea patients (820+/-262 days) was evaluated objectively using a pressure monitor (MC+; Sefa...

We report on unrestrained molecular dynamics simulations of an RNA tetramer binding to a tetra-nucleotide overhang at the 5'-end of an RNA hairpin (nicked structure) and of the corresponding continuous hairpin with Na+ as counterions. The simulations lead to stable structures and in this way a structural model for the coaxially stacked RNA hairpin is generated. The stacking interface in the coa...