A new study by the Swiss National Science Foundation shows, definitively, that sleep apnea symptoms return within one night of discontinuing CPAP treatment. A small study followed a group of CPAP users who discontinued treatment for two weeks to determine how quickly apnea events and sleep apnea symptoms returned. By the end of the study, breathing events had more than tripled across particpants. Information about the study can be found here:
These findings seem to be sort of common sense (as I'm sure many sleep apnea sufferers would agree), because CPAP treatment is not a cure for OSA (nor is it a prolonged pharmaceutical treatment). CPAP merely works to eliminate the blockages found in those with OSA, thereby eliminating the symptoms - not the disorder. It is nice, though, to see researchers focusing on OSA and it's treatment and lifestyle implications. And education about the chronic nature of sleep apnea is also very important, especially to new CPAP users who might not have truly grasped the need to stay on CPAP therapy for the rest of their lives.