Positive airway pressure after stroke: lower odds of another vascular event
A trial review favored positive airway pressure for recurrent vascular events, while improvement in functional independence remained uncertain.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The pooled trials found lower odds of another vascular event with positive airway pressure than with conventional treatment after stroke. The authors also reported improvements in neurological deficits, daytime sleepiness, depression, and cognitive function. Functional independence showed no statistically clear improvement, so favorable results on other measures do not establish greater independence in daily life.
Some secondary estimates are labelled as odds ratios despite negative values, which prevents reliable interpretation of their magnitude from this abstract alone. Follow-up duration and details of conventional treatment are also missing.
What researchers found
Recurrent vascular events
The odds with positive airway pressure were 0.45 times those with conventional treatment. Follow-up: Not reported in the abstract.
Understanding the comparison
This ratio compares the odds of another vascular event between groups; it is not a percentage reduction in risk. Without event rates, the abstract cannot show how many events treatment might prevent.
Independence remains uncertain
The functional independence finding did not reach statistical significance. That leaves uncertainty about this outcome rather than proving treatment has no effect. Symptom changes and cognitive test results address different questions about recovery.
The original publication
Post-stroke sleep disordered breathing and the effect of positive airway pressure treatment: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials.
Sampsonas F, Karamouzos V, Doulberis M et al.
Sleep Med Rev · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41297370
- Record checked
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