CPAP Effect on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Performance in Patients with Moderate-Severe OSA and Cardiometabolic...

Area of Science:

• Cardiorespiratory Physiology
• Sleep Medicine
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to reduced exercise tolerance due to factors like obesity, cardiovascular issues, and mitochondrial dysfunction.
• Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is crucial for assessing aerobic capacity and identifying exercise limitations in OSA patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the aerobic capacity of patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe OSA.
• To assess the impact of short-term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy on exercise capacity in OSA patients.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 64 newly diagnosed moderate-to-severe OSA patients (AHI 39.96 ± 19.04 events/h).
• Patients underwent CPET before and after an 8-week CPAP treatment period.
• Exclusion of 13 patients due to CPAP intolerance or loss to follow-up.

Main Results:

• Nearly half (49.29%) of patients presented with moderate to severe functional capacity limitations (Weber C or D).
• Eight weeks of CPAP significantly improved maximal exercise load, maximum oxygen uptake, anaerobic threshold, and reduced Epworth sleepiness scores.
• CPET performance was influenced by gender but not by OSA severity (AHI).

Conclusions:

• Moderate-to-severe OSA patients exhibit suboptimal functional capacity.
• Short-term CPAP therapy demonstrates significant improvements in key CPET parameters, indicating OSA negatively impacts exercise capacity.
• While OSA severity correlated with BMR and resting heart rate, it did not directly correlate with anaerobic threshold or maximal oxygen uptake.