CPAP for Sleep Apnea: How Awakening Threshold Affects Treatment
Official title: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, Arousability and Links to Mechanisms in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (CALM-OSA).
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11387575 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a person’s tendency to wake up from breathing pauses (arousal threshold) influences how well CPAP helps with obstructive sleep apnea and related brain and heart health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $744,547 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL179077-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387575 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with obstructive sleep apnea who are candidates for CPAP therapy and who can participate in CPAP trials and related assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not considering CPAP or unable to participate in CPAP-related procedures may not benefit.
What this research studies
Obstructive sleep apnea affects millions and CPAP is the main treatment but many people don’t use it consistently or see expected benefits. The study will explore whether arousal threshold can predict who benefits most from CPAP and how adherence relates to neurocognitive and cardiovascular outcomes. By combining measurements of arousal, breathing events, and responses to CPAP, researchers aim to identify biomarkers that could guide personalized treatment. The work is grounded in data from Yale University led by Dr. Andrey Zinchuk and collaborators. Results could inform better strategies to improve CPAP adherence and health outcomes for people with OSA.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to personalized CPAP plans and better strategies to improve adherence and health outcomes for people with obstructive sleep apnea.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest arousal threshold relates to CPAP response, and this study aims to validate and extend those findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zinchuk, Andrey — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Zinchuk, Andrey
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.