Testing the Performance of Positive Airway Pressure Generators: From Bench to Bedside

: Positive airway pressure (PAP) devices use different proprietary algorithms for sleep-disordered breathing event detection and response. Most device evaluations are based on clinical studies, which have obvious limitations. As a complementary approach, bench studies provide an analysis of algorithms in predefined conditions, which allows understanding contradictory results observed in clinical studies. But such studies cannot provide long-term treatment data and physiologic effects of treatment. It is important to understand the advantages and the limitations of both kinds of studies. Combining results of bench tests and clinical studies is essential to improve the management of patients with PAP treatment.