Abstract Introduction Quality of life is an important patient experience metric in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). As such, we assessed changes in multi-dimensional quality-of-life outcomes following initiation of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy and examined differences by gender. Methods Adults (18+) residing in the United States and using PAP therapy (Resmed) for the treatment of OSA were invited to complete an online survey on pre- and post-therapy OSA symptoms and experiences. Questions on changes in productivity, relationships, and well-being following PAP initiation were rated using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (significantly worsened) to 5 (significantly improved). Descriptive statistics summarized the frequency of reported changes across survey items, and unadjusted hypothesis tests were used to examine differences by gender. Results 1,871 respondents were included in the analysis (mean age: 56.0 years, 54.6% female, 44.3% with severe OSA; 47.7% on PAP therapy 30 days). Overall, 88.7% of respondents reported an improvement in at least one quality of life outcome. Most respondents reported an improvement in ‘overall quality of life’ (73.3%) and ‘overall health’ (68.9%). Respondents also reported an improvement in ‘productivity at work/school’ (61.8%) and a reduction in missed work/school days (35.4%). Relationship dynamics also improved, with improved bed partner sleep quality (70.2%), improved relationship quality (45.6%), reduced conflict frequency (40.6%) and intensity (39.5%), and stronger connection (39.4%). Moreover, 59% of respondents reported greater enjoyment of hobbies and activities, and an improved ability to travel and engage in leisure activities (51.5%). Differences by gender emerged such that females (vs. males) reported greater improvement in missed work/school days (p 0.001), productivity (p = 0.012), and communication (p = 0.012). Conversely, more males reported an improvement in bed partner sleep quality than females (p = 0.003). Conclusion Initiation of PAP therapy was associated with self-reported improvements in productivity, relationship quality, and overall well-being. Females reported greater improvement in productivity and relationship communication whereas males more frequently reported improvement in bed partner sleep quality. These findings demonstrate multidimensional quality-of-life benefits beyond clinical symptom relief and may inform strategies to personalize and support continued PAP usage. Support (if any) Resmed Science Center
Kaye et al. (Fri,) studied this question.