Residual Excessive Daytime Sleepiness After Positive Airway Pressure Therapy in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients

Background and Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and possible causes of residual excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who were treated with positive airway pressure (PAP) machines.Subjects and Method We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 108 patients diagnosed with OSA from July 2021 to July 2023. PAP compliance, the presence of EDS, and EDS risk factors were assessed using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and telephone interviews with patients who had received PAP treatment for more than 6 months.Results The overall prevalence of residual EDS was 17.6% (19/108 patients). Among them, 8 cases (42.1%) had explainable causes such as lack of sleep, depression, and chronic diseases, while 11 cases (57.9%) had idiopathic EDS. A high depression score (odds ratio [OR]=1.159, p=0.010) and the use of PAP for less than 4 hours (OR=4.554, p=0.018) significantly increased the risk of residual EDS.Conclusion Through this study, we found that the risk factors for residual EDS in OSA patients were high depression scores and insufficient PAP usage time.