Multi-Night Home testing with portable EEG shows Improvement in Sleep Quality after Starting CPAP for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Listed in
This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) impacts sleep quality and has considerable night to night variability. This study explored the use of low-density EEG headbands to evaluate changes in sleep architecture and sleep features in the patients’ own homes over multiple nights both Pre and Post treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Seven participants recorded 144 high-quality EEG sessions (84 Pre-CPAP, 60 Post-CPAP). Comparing Pre and Post-CPAP there were significant reductions in N1 (P < 0.0001) and N2 (P < 0.0001) sleep, increases in N3 (P < 0.0001) and REM (P < 0.0001) sleep and fewer sleep stage shifts (P < 0.0001), micro-arousals (P < 0.0001) and awakenings (P < 0.0001). Total sleep time did not change. Strength testing identified that one participant (who had the most severe OSA, and produced the most EEG recordings), was a major driver of the effects, however, improvements in REM, shifts, and micro arousals remained when this participant was excluded. These results suggest low-density EEG devices can be used for multi-night monitoring, potentially advancing OSA research and personalised care.
Statement of Significance
OSA is a highly prevalent condition, with increasing global demand for care resources. Current OSA diagnostic and follow-up methods face two significant limitations: they do not capture night-to-night variability in sleep quality, and polysomnography, the current gold-standard measurement of sleep quality, requires substantial resources and is usually performed in a laboratory, which will not always reflect sleep quality achieved at home. This study collected 144 high-quality sleep recordings from seven participants using low-density EEG headbands in a community setting, both Pre and Post-CPAP. Results showed significant improvements in multiple measures of sleep quality after initiating CPAP. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of portable EEG headbands for OSA and suggest potential for enhancing clinical monitoring and advancing research through multi-night frameworks.
