Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases
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The field of computer-assisted mapping of lung sounds is constantly evolving and several devices have been developed in this field. ⋯ The VRI device may provide a new perspective in acoustic imaging and quantification of breath sounds by adding aspects of time analysis and quantification of distribution to existing methods. Further studies will be required in order to establish reliability of repeated recordings and to validate the sensitivity of the system in detecting various lung pathologies.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Automatic pressure titration with APAP is as effective as manual titration with CPAP in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
The optimal approach to initiate positive-pressure therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea is still debated. Current options are autotitrating positive airway pressure (APAP) or manual titration with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Procedures differ by parameters and by algorithms used for adapting pressure. ⋯ Taking the sequence of titration into account, we found equal effectiveness of CPAP and APAP. Sleep quality was better with initial application of APAP - which favors attended automatic titration if only 1 titration night is possible. Both modes are comparable after 6 weeks regarding therapeutic pressure, efficacy, compliance and quality of life.