CPAP Benefits in Metabolic Syndrome

Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in fatsos, as is metabolic syndrome.

Three months of treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was associated with improvements in many different components of the metabolic syndrome in a new study in patients with both metabolic syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea.

In the study, published in the December 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine [1], CPAP therapy was associated with a decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, lipids, glycated hemoglobin, body mass index, and abdominal fat.

Lead investigator, Dr Surendra Sharma (All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi) told heartwire he was excited about these results. He said: "Currently, we use medicines for the treatment of metabolic syndrome. The message of this study is that, if metabolic syndrome is associated with obstructive sleep apnea, then CPAP should be the first-line of treatment." He added: "Ours is the first evidence-based study with positive results and gives a ray of hope for patients that have obstructive sleep apnea with metabolic syndrome."

In the paper, the authors explain that 70–80% of patients with obstructive sleep apnea also have metabolic syndrome, and that obstructive sleep apnea is known to be an independent risk factor for hypertension and insulin resistance. While CPAP is an established treatment for symptomatic obstructive sleep apnea, its effect on metabolic syndrome is not clear. Few studies of this issue have been conducted, and studies that have been carried out have shown conflicting results.

Better to lose the weight than require CPAP.

Besides, the data are conflicting and this study does nada to demonstrate that any lowering of risk factors translates into better health.