During this live panel discussion, content experts will review the findings of the draft CPAP technology assessment that was posted recently by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The moderators also will summarize the multi-society response coordinated by the AASM, and they will discuss approaches the sleep research community can take to address knowledge deficiencies raised by the report. Although the discussion is taking place during the Virtual SLEEP 2021 annual meeting, all stakeholders are welcome to attend this online event. No registration is required to attend the discussion.
Panel Discussion Recording
Watch a recording of the 2-hour AHRQ panel discussion held June 13, 2021, during the Virtual SLEEP 2021 annual meeting.
About the AHRQ Report
The draft AHRQ report, “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea,” was requested by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The report focused on long-term outcomes observed with CPAP treatment for OSA and the putative roles of disease severity measures or sleepiness on CPAP-related outcomes. The draft report concluded that CPAP does not affect long-term, clinically relevant OSA-related outcomes and questioned the validity of currently used measures of disease severity.
The 20-page multi-society comment letter emphasized that the AHRQ conclusion that there are no significant benefits from CPAP treatment does not reflect the totality of available evidence. Therefore, misinterpretation of the draft report, as currently written, will have detrimental repercussions for the care of millions of Americans with OSA receiving benefit from CPAP therapy now and in the future. The letter provides specific recommendations to address these concerns and asks AHRQ to consider revising the draft report prior to final publication to avoid misinterpretations or the appearance of bias.
Moderators
- Peter Gay, MD
- Karin Johnson, MD
- R. John Kimoff, MD
- Allan Pack, MBChB, PhD
- Susheel Patil, MD, PhD
Panelists
- Dan Gottlieb, MD, MPH
- Greg Maislin, MS, MA
- Doug McEvoy, MBBS, MD
- Sanjay Patel, MD, MSc
- Susan Redline, MD, MPH