July 5, 2011 – DeVilbiss Healthcare recently sponsored a randomized, double-blind, crossover clinical study which confirmed the effectiveness of DeVilbiss SmartFlex Technology, a new exhalation pressure relief solution to enhance patient comfort.Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) represents the gold standard in the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). In recent years, pressure modification has become accepted as an important feature improving patients’ comfort and compliance. However, there has been some speculation that excessive pressure relief may compromise the effectiveness of therapy.
The study confirmed SmartFlex Technology to be equally effective to standard Auto-PAP therapy in that respiratory events and oxygen saturation during sleep were normalized among the participants. In addition, treatment with SmartFlex showed a lower leak rate, which likely contributes to the greater subject acceptance rates. As expected, both modalities resulted in improved daytime alertness, but improved daytime energy levels, ability to relax and nocturnal sleep were also demonstrated with SmartFlex Technology... DeVilbiss Healthcare's Press Release -
