Effects of short-term PAP treatment on endurance exercise performance in obstructive sleep apnea patients
Received 24 February 2000; received in revised form 25 July 2000; accepted 29 August 2000.
Abstract
Objective: To measure the effects of 4 weeks of nasal positive airway pressure therapy (PAP) on exercise performance in obstructive sleep apnea patients (OSA).
Background: Little published research is available which describes the effects of OSA on exercise tolerance or upon the potential of exercise testing to evaluate the outcomes of PAP therapy.
Methods: Exercise testing was performed on an electronic cycle ergometer with continuous ramping to allow collection of numerous data points for each subject, up to a vigorous terminal intensity. Linear regression established each subject's pre-treatment scores for the dependent variables at 60% of estimated peak power (W60%). Responses at the pre-treatment W60% test were used to quantify and compare to responses at the same power output after treatment.
Results: OSA by nocturnal polysomnography was moderately severe in this group; the respiratory distress index was 48±22 (mean±SD; n=9). Exercise heart rates after PAP therapy averaged 10.2 bt/min less at W60% (P<0.05). Other variables were lower but non-significantly so, further suggesting a lower cardiorespiratory exercise demand after treatment, i.e. oxygen consumption (↓7.6%), and Rating of Perceived Exertion (↓8.8%).
Conclusion: Brief treatment with PAP therapy improves objective markers of aerobic exercise performance.
ABSTRACT