Respiratory infection risk in positive airway pressure therapy users: a retrospective cohort study

In this detailed retrospective cohort study, we observed no increased risk of clinically reported RIs among PAP therapy users relative to nonusers. Similarly, PAP adherence was not associated with a higher risk of RIs among PAP users. Our findings provide new evidence to suggest that PAP therapy is not a primary driver of RI risk.

Our study, which included a larger sample of patients and longitudinal design to support assessment of temporality, supports these findings and provides additional data to reduce uncertainty among providers and patients with OSA who are pursuing PAP for treatment of OSA. Such uncertainty may cause patients to unnecessarily defer PAP treatment, which could itself have detrimental effects on the immune system and increase RI risk. Two studies have shown that sleep deprivation, which could be exacerbated by untreated sleep apnoea, is associated with an increased risk of developing the common cold. Furthermore, another published study shows that the presence of newly diagnosed untreated OSA almost triples the risk of developing community acquired pneumonia, and this increased risk is related to the severity of OSA.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.5664/jcsm.10670