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Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Acupoint Application as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Fatigue Associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: September 5, 2025
Predictors of fatigue in obstructive sleep apnea
Paul J Mills1, Jong-Heun Kim, Wayne Bardwell
1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. pmills@ucsd.edu
Fatigue in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to higher body mass index (BMI), depressed mood, and elevated soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNF-RI) levels, suggesting an inflammatory component.
Area of Science:
- Sleep Medicine
- Immunology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder associated with significant fatigue.
- The underlying mechanisms of fatigue in OSA are not fully understood.
- Inflammation is increasingly recognized as a potential contributor to OSA symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify inflammatory predictors of fatigue in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
- To investigate the relationship between inflammatory biomarkers, mood, and fatigue in OSA.
Main Methods:
- Fifty-six untreated OSA patients underwent polysomnography.
- Fatigue, depressed mood, and inflammatory markers (IL-6, sTNF-RI) were assessed.
- Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyzed predictors of fatigue.
Main Results:
- 42% of OSA patients reported significant fatigue.
- Higher BMI, depressed mood, and elevated sTNF-RI levels independently predicted fatigue.
- Age, gender, blood pressure, and OSA severity did not predict fatigue.
Conclusions:
- Fatigue in OSA is associated with increased body weight, depressed mood, and elevated sTNF-RI.
- These findings suggest a link between OSA-related fatigue and inflammation.
- sTNF-RI may serve as a potential biomarker for fatigue in OSA.
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