Beneficial Effects of Long-Term CPAP Treatment on Sleep Quality and Blood Pressure in Adherent Subjects With Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Although CPAP is the first treatment choice for moderate-to-severe OSA, acceptance of and adherence to CPAP remain problematic. High CPAP adherence is generally defined as ≥4 h of use/night for ≥70% of the nights monitored. We investigated the long-term beneficial effects of CPAP on sleep quality and blood pressure in subjects with moderate-to-severe OSA according to high or low CPAP adherence.

METHODS:

We retrospectively analyzed 121 subjects with moderate-to-severe OSA from August 2008 to July 2012. These subjects were divided into 3 groups: (1) no CPAP treatment (n = 29), (2) low CPAP adherence (n = 28), and (3) high CPAP adherence (n = 64). All subjects were followed up for at least 1 y. The 3 groups were compared regarding anthropometric and polysomnographic variables, presence of cardiovascular comorbidities, and blood pressure at baseline and at the last follow-up.

RESULTS:

The no-treatment group showed significant increases in oxygen desaturation index and blood pressure. The high-adherence group showed significant improvement in daytime sleepiness, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index, and blood pressure. Although the AHI was also significantly decreased after CPAP treatment in the low-adherence group, blood pressure remained unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS:

CPAP treatment had beneficial effects on both sleep quality and blood pressure only in subjects with OSA and high CPAP adherence who used CPAP for ≥4 h/night for ≥70% of nights monitored. Subjects with low CPAP adherence received beneficial effects on AHI, but not blood pressure.

• Authors: Mei-Chen Yang, Yi-Chih Huang, Chou-Chin Lan, Yao-Kuang Wu, Kuo-Feng Huang
• Journal: Respiratory care (Respir Care) Vol. 60 Issue 12 Pg. 1810-8 (Dec 2015) ISSN: 1943-3654 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26396261 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Anthropometry
• Blood Pressure (physiology)
• Cardiovascular Diseases (complications, physiopathology)
• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (methods, psychology)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Oxygen Consumption
• Patient Compliance (statistics & numerical data)
• Polysomnography
• Retrospective Studies
• Severity of Illness Index
• Sleep (physiology)
• Sleep Apnea, Obstructive (complications, physiopathology, therapy)
• Time
• Treatment Outcome