Humidification, a good thing after all?

[Captain_Midnight]

The question of whether humidification increases the therapeutic value of xPAP, or is just a comfort enhancer is one of increasing interest to me.

For over two years, I’ve resisted humidification of any type. When I got my first machine, the DME told us that if we can tolerate the CPAP without humidification, then we should. She cited some experience that we apneic patients somehow have a better chance of compliance if we can do the PAP without humidification.

Okay, so (even though I had a humidifier w my “tank”) I never used it, and was glad that I never had to fiddle with water or rainout or any of that stuff. I double-checked Pub-Med abstracts, and found articles such as Use of heated humidification during nasal CPAP titration in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. (http://tinyurl.com/32yknu) The authors found no big benefit, and so I never took the humidifier out of its box.

Fast forward to present. I have my first bad cold in over 2 years, and I decide to try the humidifier on my M-Series. (Just cold, pass-over mode, but I kind of like it.)

And now, I check through the scientific abstracts again, and find this recent study: Impact of controlled heated breathing tube humidifier on sleep quality under CPAP therapy in a cool sleeping environment. (http://tinyurl.com/36uzk2) In this study, the authors compared two heated humidification systems (in a very cold sleep environment) and found the one with the heated hose to be superior.

But that’s not the big deal. The big issue is that the authors looked at some additional parameters besides sleepiness, etc. They actually measured sleep phases; and here’s what they said, in comparing the heated hose to the unheated… “TST, S3/4 and REM sleep phases were significantly longer and the overall side effect score was lower than with conventional heated humidification.”

So, they found that warmer humidified air lengthened REM, total sleep time, and the S3 and S4 (deepest of the non-REM) phases.

If just warming the humidified air leads to these therapeutic changes, think what the difference might be if the authors compared UNhumidified air to humidified w heated hose!

All of this leads me to re-consider my earlier practice of non-humidification. Quite possibly, the humidification of resp membranes leads to better gas exchange. (Makes sense, now that I think of it.)

After resisting humidification for a couple of years, I’m now giving it a several-month test.


Regards all -- Tom

[MartiniLover]

Tom

We all play with this, at least I think we do.

I have a M series, and I use the built in one on setting one, and also use a passover humidifier from my last machine. I have to fill my M reservoir everyday and it aggravates me. I would like a larger water supply.

The loss of humidity from the M, wakes me in the morning. Without the passover I wake up at 5-6 hours. I am sensitive enough to feel the difference. With both working properly, I get just over 8 hours of sleep every day.

I have not had a nose problem, (cold) since getting my humidifiers adjusted. About 4 years now I have had a dry nose.

Cool............and humid.

[RipVW]

I use the built in one on setting one, and also use a passover humidifier from my last machine.

I've experimented a little, too, with two humidifiers. Thanks to Den (AKA Wolfman), I learned that COOL humid air works best for me (the warm air seemed to cause my sinuses to swell). So, I got a passive humidifier. The cool is great, but I do loose some of the moisture I got with the heated air. So, wondering if it is okay to use two (does this affect our machine's pressure?). I'd really like to use my F&P with my passover, rather than my integrated HH, but I know that would involve alot more hose. I think I heard here that we must keep it at 10 feet or less, so with the 6' mask hose + two humidifiers, I'd be close to or maybe even exceed that max.