Baseline data
| All patients | CPAP treatment | p-value | ||
| Tolerated | Nontolerated | |||
| Subjects n | 33 | 23 | 10 | |
| Age yrs | 70.2±7.5 | 68.1±7.8 | 72.2±3.2 | ns |
| Sex male | 17 (52) | 12 (52.2) | 5 (50) | ns |
| BMI kg·m−2 | 34.2±5 | 35.1±5.2 | 33.2±4.7 | ns |
| Neck circumference cm | 41.6±4.9 | 42.6±4.6 | 40.6±5.6 | ns |
| ESS | 6.3±4.5 | 7.4±5.1 | 5.1±1.3 | ns |
| Chronic snoring | 18 (54.5) | 13 (56.5) | 5 (50) | ns |
| Number of drugs | 3.64±0.7 | 3.5±0.7 | 3.7±0.8 | ns |
| Witnessed apnoeas | 7 (21) | 5 (21.7) | 2 (20) | ns |
| AS-AHI h−1 | 37.7±18.2 | 40±19.7 | 35.4±14.3 | ns |
| CT90% | 10.4±5.7 | 11.3±5.3 | 9.4±5.8 | ns |
| Mean 24-h SBP mmHg | 154.8±14 | 155.1±15.4 | 153.9±10.3 | ns |
| Mean 24-h DBP mmHg | 90±8.8 | 90.5±9.8 | 88.8±5.8 | ns |
| Dippers | 3 (9.1) | 2 (8.7) | 1 (10) | ns |
| Cardiac frequency beats·min−1 | 73±13 | 74.2±12.3 | 72.7±13.4 | ns |
Data are presented as mean±sd or n (%), unless otherwise stated. CPAP: continuous positive airway pressure; BMI: body mass index; ESS: Epworth Sleepiness Scale; AS-AHI: AutosetTM-apnoea/hypopnoea index; CT90%: nocturnal counting time with an oxygen saturation <90%; SBP: systolic blood pressure; DBP: diastolic blood pressure; ns: nonsignificant.