CPAP borne infections?

[D.H.]

There's a lot of hype about this in an effort to sell things like the SoClean 2 machine.

However, I'm not asking about this machine or any completing product in this thread.

The real question is, "are the claimed underlying dangers real, of are they just marketing hype?"

BTW, if you must comment directly on this product or any similar one, please open a separate thread!

Note that I've been using CPAP for over 18 years, my cleaning regimen is not that rigorous, and I am not aware of ever having such an infection.

[Janknitz]

IMHO, it's nothing but hype. I don't see any evidence for infections from CPAP and the studies seem to support that:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5611769/ "This study shows that the use of CPAP, choice of mask and humidifier have no significant impact on the prevalence of infections and micro-organisms isolated. This is very reassuring to the physician prescribing CPAP therapy and users."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3716664/ "Having a positive culture in the CPAP reservoir does not seem to lead to an increased symptomatology of CRS: although the reservoirs often become colonized, there seems to be no clinical impact."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16236866 "
The convection-type humidifier produces water vapor but does not aerosolize the water. We conclude that bacteria, other microorganisms, or even solutes that may be contained in the water cannot be transported into the air and thus will not be deposited in the lung. In order to avoid respiratory tract infections, sterile water is not required, at least in this particular humidifier. We suggest that nonsterile tap water is probably a safe alternative."

Now, if you are immunocompromised, then you may want to take more measures to insure the cleanliness of CPAP equipment. But IMHO, some cleaning methods introduce substances more likely to cause harm or introduce moisture where it wouldn't already be to encourage the growth of bacteria and mold, I won't wash my hose for this reason--my machine does a good job of avoiding moisture in the hose, why introduce it???

When I began CPAP I was constantly sick with one respiratory infection after another. But after starting CPAP that rate went down to once every few years! A huge difference. CPAP doesn't get all the credit because I made other lifestyle changes at the same time, but it certainly shows me that CPAP doesn't increase my risk of respiratory infections.

I'm not denigrating anybody who feels that this cleaning is necessary or helps--everyone is entitled to their own standards, but I'm not going to spend my money on cleaning machines.

[Cpapian]

If it really, really was a problem, I think we would hear about it from our doctors. Or on the news. It seems that the only ones warning us of the dangers are those who stand to profit from such fear.

In any event, with germs, eradication is not always such a good idea. Antibiotics kill both good and bad germs indiscriminately, and leave the user more vulnerable to attack. So even if these systems are cleaning germs, is it even wise to do so?

[chunkyfrog]

Most microbes are harmless, even beneficial.
Wihout helpful germs, we would have thrush, yeast infections, and deadly diarrhea.

[jnk...]

. . . BTW, if you must comment directly on this product or any similar one, please open a separate thread! . . .

RATS! I really wanted to hijack this thread, but now you've completely ruined that idea for me.

I hope this whole keeping-threads-on-topic thing doesn't start catching on around here. I mean, what fun would THAT be?!

Oh, wait. Maybe I can hijack this way . . .

My guess is that using CPAP is probably less dangerous than drying my hands in a public restroom, if this article has any validity whatsoever (I mean, we can believe EVERYTHING we read on Facebook, right?):

http://www.valuewalk.com/2018/02/facebo ... nd-dryers/

Fear-mongering takes many forms. Life ain't clean. Breathing is messy. This is Earth. Stuff grows here. It's not a bug. It's a feature.

[greatunclebill]

IMHO

The people with real germ phobias, will never find the perfect germ free anything.

The rest of us who probably ate dirt as kids, don't get it or worry about it.

[Goofproof]

There's a lot of hype about this in an effort to sell things like the SoClean 2 machine.

However, I'm not asking about this machine or any completing product in this thread.

The real question is, "are the claimed underlying dangers real, of are they just marketing hype?"

BTW, if you must comment directly on this product or any similar one, please open a separate thread!

Note that I've been using CPAP for over 18 years, my cleaning regimen is not that rigorous, and I am not aware of ever having such an infection.

Having trouble reading this forum, tape it to the bottom of your wastebasket, all will become clear. Jim

[Wulfman...]

There's a lot of hype about this in an effort to sell things like the SoClean 2 machine.

However, I'm not asking about this machine or any completing product in this thread.

The real question is, "are the claimed underlying dangers real, of are they just marketing hype?"

BTW, if you must comment directly on this product or any similar one, please open a separate thread!

Note that I've been using CPAP for over 18 years, my cleaning regimen is not that rigorous, and I am not aware of ever having such an infection.

Total hype.......aimed at fear mongering the gullible who will part with their money to buy the products.

Remember what P. T. Barnum said about suckers being born every minute. Don't fall for it.


Den

.

[Goofproof]

There's a lot of hype about this in an effort to sell things like the SoClean 2 machine.

However, I'm not asking about this machine or any completing product in this thread.

The real question is, "are the claimed underlying dangers real, of are they just marketing hype?"

BTW, if you must comment directly on this product or any similar one, please open a separate thread!

Note that I've been using CPAP for over 18 years, my cleaning regimen is not that rigorous, and I am not aware of ever having such an infection.

Total hype.......aimed at fear mongering the gullible who will part with their money to buy the products.

Remember what P. T. Barnum said about suckers being born every minute. Don't fall for it.


Den

.

U.S. Birthrate of Suckers, is way past B.T.'s wildest guess... Jim

I used to eat Coal, not Soap Pods, like our future leaders...

[mesenteria]

If perchance mold does begin to grow anywhere in the air-path, including in the reservoir, you can be sure you'll be exposed to spores...which are intended to be spread in the air. If there are spores, you'll get them in your trachea and alveoli.

Molds grow with moisture and a food source. If you keep your hose and reservoir rinsed, and let them air dry regularly (not daily), or rinse them with an anti-fungal/bacterial/viral agent like sodium/postassium metabisulphite in solution, you should be fine.

[chunkyfrog]

Germophobia is extremely annoying to those of us who do not have it.
Unfortunately, those with it think they are NORMAL,
and the rest of us are nuts.

[Emmet]

Two cases of Legionnaires’ disease associated with CPAP

[RicaLynn]

Two cases of Legionnaires’ disease associated with CPAP

TWO. Out of how many millions of users???

[Wulfman...]

Two cases of Legionnaires’ disease associated with CPAP

From that link............read between the lines...................

"Sporadic cases and outbreaks of Legionella pneumophila usually are related to exposure to water-containing Legionella bacterium. Legionnaires’ disease is transmitted by contaminated water in medical equipment, including oxygen humidifiers, nebulizers, and face masks, and has been extensively reported [1,2]. Nevertheless, there has never been a reported case of Legionnaires’ disease related to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Herein, we describe two cases of the disease in patients who used this machine.


Major reason to use distilled water.


Den

.

[Okie bipap]

Either pure hype or pure B.S.