Introduction

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders, with great impact on health resources and is affecting 6-8% of the population in Spain, according to the Spanish Sleep Society; furthermore, literature on this entity in women is remarkably limited.

Objectives

The aim of this study is to analyze the different factors that may influence domiciliary CPAP fulfillment in women diagnosed with OSA.

Material and methods

Patients with OSA with domiciliary CPAP at Juan Ramón Jiménez Hospital in Huelva have been reviewed, pertaining to medical history, predominant symptoms, respiratory polygraphy?s characteristics and adverse effects due to CPAP. 60 women were selected, 30 of them with good therapeutic compliance and other 30 without it. 

Results

The average age at diagnosis and smoking habits were similar in both groups. The only comorbiditie with statistically significant was obesity (53% in non-compliant and 13% in compliant). The most prevalent symptoms were apnea (70%), snoring (83%) and daytime sleepiness (68%), with no significant differences between both groups except for fatigue, which was more prevalent in compliant (77% vs 37% in non-compliant). Considering CPAP?s adverse effects, statistically significant differences were found for discomfort and pressure ulcers due to the mask (36% and 10% in non-compliant vs 7% and 0% in compliant, respectively).

Conclusions

The only comorbidity that was associated with poor therapeutic compliance was obesity. Daytime sleepiness as a symptom of OSA was associated with good therapeutic compliance. The adverse effects that lead to abandoning domiciliary CPAP were discomfort and pressure ulcers.