Treatment-Emergent Central Sleep Apnea (Complex Sleep Apnea)

Treatment-emergent central sleep apnea (TECSA) is a distinct form of sleep-disordered breathing characterized by the development of central sleep apnea during the initiation of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The exact mechanisms of TECSA are not clearly known; however, several theories have been proposed. Usually, TECSA is transient and self-limited, and disappears after continued PAP use. Nevertheless, patients with persistent TECSA have lower adherence to PAP therapy and are more likely to terminate therapy. Close follow up is necessary to assure that the emergent central events disappear with continued therapy. In patients with persistent TECSA, more advanced algorithms such as adaptive servo-ventilation have been shown to be very effective. In this brief review, we summarize the definition, prevalence, predictors, pathophysiology, and treatment approaches of TECSA.