Primary Outcome Measures:
- Photographic assessment of changes in facial indicators of sleepiness (ptosis, flattening or darkening of the external infraorbital surface) after PAP-treatment [ Time Frame: 2-4 months after successful nightly use of CPAP or BiPAP ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Blinded raters provide visual assessment of relative improvement in facial images of subjects after successful PAP treatment [ Time Frame: 2-4 months after successful nightly use of CPAP or BiPAP ]
The main symptom of nocturnal sleep disorders is often excessive daytime sleepiness. Although sleepiness can be a major contributor to decreased quality of life, and even mortality, patients frequently grow habituated to their sleepiness, ignoring it and any underlying disorder. One scarcely explored potential consequence that could motivate patients to address sleep disorders is a sleepy facial appearance. No peer-reviewed literature, to our knowledge, has explored whether inadequate or insufficient sleep actually causes changes facial appearance. No published literature has examined the extent to which treatment for sleep disorders might improve such facial changes, and perhaps motivate patients to treat their sleep disorders.
To address these questions in a preliminary manner, therefore, the investigators propose to use cutting-edge photographic technology to assess subtle changes in facial appearance. The investigators will recruit 20 sleepy adult patients who are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, an ideal disease model in which subjects can be tested before and after alleviation of severe sleepiness by home use of continuous positive airway pressure. Results of this pilot study could show for the first time that successful treatment of a chronic sleep disorder improves facial features commonly perceived as an undesirable sign of sleepiness.
