Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction</jats:title><jats:p>It has been demonstrated that brief periods of nocturnal continuous positive airway pressure (n<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CPAP</jats:styled-content>) reduce airway reactivity in animal models and in patients with asthma. The effects of n<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CPAP</jats:styled-content> in severe uncontrolled non‐apneic asthmatic patients are not well known.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Aim</jats:title><jats:p><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">I</jats:styled-content>n this open pilot study, we aimed to assess the effect nCPAP on peak flow (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEF</jats:styled-content>) variability and asthma control in this type of patients.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CPAP</jats:styled-content> was applied to 10 patients with severe long‐standing asthma without obstructive sleep apnea for seven consecutive nights. <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CPAP</jats:styled-content> was titrated in auto setting and applied to the patients. Daily <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEF</jats:styled-content>, was measured from 2 weeks before the intervention to 2 weeks after the end of n<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CPAP</jats:styled-content> treatment. <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEF</jats:styled-content> amplitude and <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEF</jats:styled-content> morning dip (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MD</jats:styled-content>) over 24‐h periods averaged over 1 week were calculated as indexes of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEF</jats:styled-content> variability. Asthma control test (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">ACT</jats:styled-content>) and <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">E</jats:styled-content>uropean quality of life (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">E</jats:styled-content>uro<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">Q</jats:styled-content>ol) questionnaire were measured at baseline and after 1 month, and at baseline and at the end of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CPAP</jats:styled-content> period, respectively.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>The <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEF</jats:styled-content> amplitude significantly decreased both during <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CPAP</jats:styled-content> period and in the first week after n<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CPAP</jats:styled-content> discontinuation as compared with the baseline (19.8 ± 7.5%, 23.9 ± 9.1% and 28.9 ± 11.5%, respectively, always <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0.05). <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEF MD</jats:styled-content> significantly decreased during n<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CPAP</jats:styled-content> in comparison with the baseline (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0.001). The <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">ACT</jats:styled-content> and <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">E</jats:styled-content>uro<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">Q</jats:styled-content>ol significantly improved after n<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CPAP</jats:styled-content> in comparison with the basal value.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title><jats:p><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">I</jats:styled-content>n this preliminary report, brief period of n<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CPAP</jats:styled-content> reduces <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEF</jats:styled-content> variability and improves control in severe non‐apneic asthma at a short‐term evaluation. Further studies with longer‐term evaluation and larger number of patients are warranted.</jats:p></jats:sec>