TY - JOUR T1 - New approaches to quantify the risk factors of continuous airway positive pressure in sleep apnoea JF - ERJ Open Research JO - erjor DO - 10.1183/23120541.sleepandbreathing-2017.P27 VL - 3 IS - suppl 1 SP - P27 AU - Doina Todea AU - Andreea Coman Y1 - 2017/04/01 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/3/suppl_1/P27.abstract N2 - In order to achieve an effective therapy with a continuous positive pressure (CPAP), the suitable choice of the mask and the reduction of the microbiological risk play a key role. The aim of the study was to analyze through complementary methods the microbiological, morphological and elemental composition of the internal surface of the masks. In 2016, the samples from the internal surface of 65 masks were analysed for microbiological examination of the surface (EMS). For the X–ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), the samples were harvested on the carbon double-sided tape. The control samples were free of bacteria, inorganic or morphological structures. The results of the EMS analysis strongly highlight Staphylococcus (Staph.) epidermidis 8000 CFU / plate, Staph.hominis 6000 CFU / plate and Staph. haemolyticus 7500 CFU /plate, rarely Candida parapsilosis, Micrococcus luteus, Sphingomonas paucimibilis. There is statistical significance between the mask and the tubing during the use, lack of hygiene, local infections and concentration of the bacterial species (p <0.000001, p <0.001 p <0.001). The XPS analysis identifies the elemental concentration of samples (%at) oxygen (O), carbon (C), titanum (Ti), aluminum (Al), iro (Fe), sulfur (S) and silicon (Si). The images of electronic microscopy show evidence of the presence of bacterial structures and structures with variable size (4 µm-0.5 µm) with different morphologic aspect. The development of the bio-nano-technology reveals clear evidence that the application of hygiene measures in this type of therapy is imminent both locally and at the structure level of the materials. ER -