Background: Nasal and pharyngeal symptoms are common in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) treated with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). However, these symptoms are common in OSA patients even before the treatment. Objectives: Determine the impact of nasal CPAP on nasal and pharyngeal symptoms in OSA patients. Method: Thirty-five adult patients (28 males), age 54±10 years old, with OSA diagnosed by polissonography. All patients answered to a questionnaire about the presence and quantification of sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal pruritus, obstruction and bleeding, nasal and pharyngeal dryness. The questionnaire was answered before and after at least three months of CPAP therapy. Results: The apnea-hypopnea index was 50±25 events per hour. Twenty six patients (74%) presented at least one naso-pharingeal symptom before treatment. Nasal obstruction was the most common symptom, being referred by 18 patients (51%). Among the patients that were initially assymptomatic (n=9), 78% developed adverse nasal reactions to CPAP. In contrast, among the patients that presented nasal symptoms before treatment, there was a significant reduction in nasal obstruction, nasal and throat dryness scores as well as nasal bleeding after CPAP therapy. Conclusions: Nasal na pharyngeal symptoms are frequent in OSAS patients. CPAP therapy may originate nasal symptoms in patients previously assymptomatic, as well as reduce the intensity of these symptoms in patients that are previously symptomatic.

Keywords: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Nasal obstruction. Continuous positive airway pressure, compliance.