CPAP in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

To the Editor: The results of the Sleep Apnea Cardiovascular Endpoints (SAVE) study reported by McEvoy et al. (Sept. 8 issue) 1 provide the opportunity to reflect on the story of the glass that is half full. The study shows that if a person is not adherent to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for a mean duration of 3.3 hours per night, he or she should not expect benefits with respect to prevention of secondary composite cardiovascular end points. Sleep apnea has major genetic determinants, so a study population involving predominantly Asian persons (64%) who are not obese (mean body-mass index . . .