0861 Age, Race, And Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Confidence Score At 1-week Predict 3-month CPAP Adherence In Older Adults With Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment And Moderate To Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Introduction

Adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may delay cognitive decline in older adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), defined as deficits in memory that do not significantly impact daily functioning. The aim of this analysis was to identify predictors of CPAP adherence in this population.

Methods

Data are from Memories 2, an ongoing multisite clinical trial on the effect of treatment of moderate to severe OSA on cognitive decline in older adults 65-85 years of age who have amnestic MCI. Unadjusted and adjusted linear models were used to examine predictors of mean hours of CPAP use at 3 months. Predictors were age, sex (male/female), race (White/Non-White), education (more than high school, less than high school), Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and CPAP Comfort and Confidence scores at 7 days. Collinearity in the adjusted model for CPAP use at 3 months was examined using the variance inflation factor.

Results

Of 57 participants, most were male (54%), White (72%), with a mean age of 66.3 years (SD: 6.1). Mean AHI in this sample was 35.1 (SD: 19.9), with mean daily hours of CPAP use at 3 months 5.3 hours (SD: 2.3). Adjusted linear model results demonstrated that younger age (β=-0.13, SE=0.04, p=0.0032), White race (β=2.56, SE=0.58, p<0.0001), and higher 7-day CPAP Confidence score (β=0.48, SE=0.17, p=0.0086) were significantly associated with CPAP use at 3 months. Sex, education, AHI, ESS, and CPAP comfort were not statistically significant predictors of adherence.

Conclusion

Tailored interventions to increase self-efficacy during the first 7 days of CPAP treatment, especially in Non-Whites and those older than 74 years, may improve long-term CPAP adherence in older adults with amnestic MCI.

Support

R01AG054435

CPAP Adherence May Slow 1-Year Cognitive Decline in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Apnea

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been linked to an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but little prospective evidence exists on the effects of OSA treatment in preclinical AD. The objective was to determine if continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment adherence, controlling for baseline differences, predicts cognitive and everyday function after 1 year in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and to determine effect sizes for a larger trial.

DESIGN

Quasi-experimental pilot clinical trial with CPAP adherence defined as CPAP use 4 hours or more per night over 1 year.

SETTING

Sleep and geriatric clinics and community.

PARTICIPANTS

Older adults, aged 55 to 89 years, with an apnea-hypopnea index of 10 or higher participated: (1) MCI, OSA, and CPAP adherent (MCI +CPAP), n = 29; and (2) MCI, OSA, CPAP nonadherent (MCI -CPAP), n = 25.

INTERVENTION

CPAP.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary cognitive outcome was memory (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised), and the secondary cognitive outcome was psychomotor/cognitive processing speed (Digit Symbol subtest from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Substitution Test). Secondary function and progression measures were the Everyday Cognition, Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Clinical Global Impression of Change Scale, and Clinical Dementia Rating.

RESULTS

Statistically significant improvements in psychomotor/cognitive processing speed in the MCI +CPAP group vs the MCI -CPAP group were observed at 1 year after adjustment for age, race, and marital status (parameter estimate = 1.68; standard error = 0.47; 95% confidence interval = 0.73-2.62), with a 6-month effect size (ES) of 0.46 and a 1-year ES of 1.25. There were small to moderate ESs for memory (ES 0.20, 6 mo), attention (ES 0.25, 1 y), daytime sleepiness (ES 0.33, 6 mo and ES 0.22, 1 y), and everyday function (ES 0.50, 6 mo) favoring the MCI +CPAP group vs the MCI -CPAP group.

CONCLUSION

Controlling for baseline differences, 1 year of CPAP adherence in MCI +OSA significantly improved cognition, compared with a nonadherent control group, and may slow the trajectory of cognitive decline.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Memories; NCT01482351; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01482351?cond=MCI+and+OSA&rank=1 J Am Geriatr Soc 67:558-564, 2019.