Humidification Information
		Humidification -- either cool or heated -- may help to improve problems from CPAP use that affect the nasal route, including runny nose, dry nose or mouth, congested nose, or nose bleeds.

Facts Pass-over & Heated Humidification play key roles in the treatment of OSA patients. Humidification strongly supports patient compliance and should be prescribed for all patients to utilize when nasal irritation arises. Pass-over humidification is adequate in many patients to relieve nasal symptoms and support patient compliance. Absolute humidity output ranges for pass-over and heated humidification are listed below (typical). Room ambient during winter months  =<9 mg /L Cool pass-over humidification ranges under various ambient conditions  =15-17mg/L Heated humidification ranges under various ambient conditions   =21-44 mg/L Note: Rain out can frequently occur in the patient tubing when heated humidification is utilized. Heated humidity levels of 21 mg/L at temperatures of 23C prevented large increases in nasal resistance during the unidirectional nasal airflow challenge trial. Increasing the end-of hose temperature from 23C-37C {Absolute humidity levels of 21-44mg/L} produced little further benefit. Heated humidification is typically preferred by the patient during subjective evaluations. Articles   Heated Humidification or Face Mask to Prevent Upper Airway Dryness During Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy. —Maria Teresa Martins de Araujo, Sergio Barros Vieira, Elisardo Corral Vasquez, Bernard Fleury. CHEST 2000, 117: 142-147.   A Heated Humidifier Reduces Upper Airway Dryness During Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy. —G.H. Wiest, G. Lehnert, W. M. Bruck, M. Meyer, E.G. Hahn, J.H. Ficker, Medical Department I and Insitute for Medical Statistics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg Germany. RESPIRATORY MEDICINE 1999, 93: 21-26   C375.K1: NCPAP Acceptance and Compliance is Altered by Humidification. —Lewis R Kline and Patricia Carlson, Associates in Respiratory Medicine, Western Pennsylvania Hospital. SLEEP ABSTRACT: 1999   Effects of Humidification on Nasal Symptons and Compliance in Sleep Apnea Patients Using Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. —Clifford A. Massie Ph.D, Robert W. Hart, MD FCCP; Kathleen Peralez; and Glenn Richard, MD. CHEST 1999, 116: 403-408.   Mouth Leak with Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Increases Nasal Airway Resistance. —Glenn N. Richards, Peter A. Cistulli, R. Gunnar Ungar, Michael Berthon-Jones, and Colin E. Sullivan David Read Laboratory, Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, Australia AM J RESPIR CRIT CARE MED 1996; 154:182-6   In Vivo Efficacy Of Heated And Non-Heated Humidifiers During Nasal Continuous Positive Ariway Pressure (Ncpap)-Therapy For Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. —G.H. Wiest, F.S. Fuchs, W.M. Brueckl, G. Nusko, I.A. Harsch, E.G. Hahn and J.H.Ficker, Medical Department I, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. RESPIRATORY MEDICINE 2000, 94:364-368