Does CPAP treatment in mild obstructive sleep apnea affect blood pressure?

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Sleep Medicine
• Pulmonology

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to cardiovascular (CV) issues.
• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treats moderate-to-severe OSA, reducing CV risks.
• CV outcomes in mild OSA patients treated with CPAP versus no CPAP remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare cardiovascular outcomes between mild OSA patients treated with CPAP and those not receiving CPAP.
• To investigate the effect of CPAP on mean blood pressure (MBP) in mild OSA.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study included adults (age ≥ 18) diagnosed with mild OSA (5 ≤ AHI < 15) between 2004-2006.
• Exclusion criteria included prior hypertension, angina, stroke, and smoking.
• Subjects were divided into CPAP (n=93) and no CPAP (n=162) groups, with MBP compared after 2 years.

Main Results:

• Unmatched analysis showed CPAP reduced MBP by 1.97 points, while no CPAP increased MBP by 9.61 points (p<0.0001).
• Propensity score matching confirmed a significant MBP reduction with CPAP (-1.97 points; 95% CI: -14.03, -9.92; p<0.0001).
• Sensitivity analysis indicated robustness of the findings.

Conclusions:

• Mild OSA patients not treated with CPAP experienced elevated MBP.
• CPAP treatment effectively decreased MBP in mild OSA patients over a 2-year period.