New health risk factors due to continuous airwas positive pressure ventilation in sleep apnea - An experimental study in Cluj-Napoca area, Romania

The study was designed to analyze by complementary methods the composition, morphology and real size of inorganic elements, as well as microbiological concentration and morphology on the inner surface of continuous positive airway pressure ventilation (CPAP) masks and tubing used at home by patients with sleep apnea. Techniques used were scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and microbiological analysis of surfaces and analyzed 70 masks and tubing samples. The images obtained in SEM evidenced a series of homogeneous versus inhomogeneous structures of variable sizes (between 1-200 μm), some of which as separate entities corresponding to a bacterial or fungal variety of microbiological elements. Those were identified as main Staphiloccocus epidermidis, Staph.hominis, Staph. haemolyticus,and Candida. There is statistical significance between the CPAP duration of the use, methods of hygiene, local infections and the obtain concentration of the bacterial species (p