Initiation of CPAP for Newly Diagnosed OSA in Hospitalized Heart Failure Patients

Initiation of CPAP for Newly Diagnosed OSA in Hospitalized Heart Failure Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The study aimed to examine the effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) initiation for newly diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in hospitalized heart failure patients on reducing 30-day hospital readmission rate through a clinical trial.

Following consent adult patients hospitalized with a medical history of heart failure and meeting study eligibility criteria will be screened for obstructive sleep apnea using the Ohio Sleep Medicine Institute Preoperative Questionnaire.

If the probability of sleep apnea is high (Sleep apnea clinical Score >15) then participants will complete the Epworth Daytime Sleepiness scale and the Minnesota Living with HeartFailure questionnaire. The patient will then be evaluated by the sleep medicine team with a portable polysomnography monitor which has been shown to be equivalent to standard in-laboratory polysomnography. All participants with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5events/h in whom sleep disordered breathing is confirmed by sleep medicine physician will be eligible for randomization.

Participants will be randomized into an auto-adjusting Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) group or standard of care (control) group.

CPAP Arm (Intervention): CPAP education and discharge with auto-adjusting Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) in addition to usual standards of clinical care for heart failure. The auto-CPAP group will be scheduled for follow-up with a phone call at 2 - 3 weeks post discharge, then in sleep medicine clinic at 1 month (+2 weeks) and 6 months (+2 weeks) to assess their progress on CPAP.

Standard of Care Arm (Comparator): CPAP initiation per standard of care based on approval by insurance company and DME company with management as per usual standards of clinical care for heart failure. This group will be scheduled for follow-up with a phone call at 2- 3 weeks post discharge and then in sleep medicine clinic at 1 month (+2 weeks) and 6 months (+2 weeks) to assess their progress.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Hospitalized having a documented history of heart failure
• Anticipated hospitalization of more than 24 hours
• Subject has obtained a score of > 15 on the Ohio Sleep Medicine Institute Preoperative questionnaire.
• Subject has an apnea-hypopneas index (AHI) of > 5/h as confirmed by sleep medicine physician

Exclusion Criteria:

• The presence of any conditions that the investigator feels will interfere with the use of CPAP