Short-term continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) treatment: effects on cardiac structural changes and function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

Abstract

Cardiovascular remodeling and increased pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) are essential in patients with OSA and CPAP therapy could improve it. Aim: to evaluate short–term CPAP treatment impact to cardiac structural changes, as well as changes of left ventricle (LV) and left atrium (LA) geometry, function regarding adjustment for body size, and mean PAP in patients with OSA. Methods: 34 patients with moderate or severe OSA, and 13 patients as a control group, were included to study. All subjects were obese (BMI > 30kg/m2). Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was performed before and after 3 months of treatment with CPAP, for control group - at a baseline only. Results: compared to control group, OSA group patients had significantly higher sizes of LV parameters and its prevalence of diastolic dysfunction. Neither LV MMi, neither LA volume did not differ between groups, while new indexes by height revealed significantly higher LV MMi in OSA group and high prevalence of LA dilatation in both groups (table 1). Improvement of E, E/A, LV LS, LA RS after 3 months of treatment with CPAP were found (table 2). Conclusions: LV diastolic dysfunction was more prevalent in OSA group. CPAP treatment improved LV diastolic function after 3 months. New indexing for LV myocardial mass and LA volume by height helps to identify structural changes in obese patients with OSA. [Table 1; Table 2] [...].