Abstract
BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder prevalent in >10% of individuals diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line therapy for OSA, but many do not use it enough during sleep to effectively manage OSA. The O(2)VERLAP study compared proactive care (PC)-structured web-based peer-coaching education and support intervention versus reactive care (RC)-education and support based on limited scheduled interactions and patient-initiated contacts. METHODS: Participants were primarily recruited from patient communities (COPD, OSA, and the National Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Network [PCORnet]) through electronic methods. Inclusion criteria: ≥40 years old, diagnosis of both COPD and OSA, and currently using CPAP. Participants were then randomly assigned to either the PC or RC group, with outcomes assessed at baseline and 6 and 12 weeks. The primary study outcome was CPAP adherence (hours of use/night) and secondary outcomes were daytime functioning, sleep quality, and daytime sleepiness. Changes in outcomes over time were examined using random effects models. RESULTS: The study enrolled 332 participants of which 294 were randomized. While groups differed significantly in CPAP adherence at baseline (PC: 6.1±3.1, RC: 7.3±2.4 hours/night; P<0.001), there were no significant differences in change of primary and secondary outcomes at either 6 or 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: In this group of patients with both COPD and OSA on CPAP therapy, no difference was found between the provision of PC and RC. The study did find unexpectedly high baseline CPAP adherence levels, which suggests that any improvement from the intervention would have been very small and difficult to detect.