Early gain in body mass with continuous positive airway pressure therapy for obstructive sleep apnea

Weigh the Options before Starting CPAP

“…Similarly, Bourey et al demonstrated increased BMI in CPAP users at one month after CPAP initiation, though weight was stable at 6 months. 4 On the other hand, in a well-done randomized, crossover trial of 86 OSA patients, Sharma et al demonstrated decrease in BMI (as well as other markers of metabolic syndrome), with 3 months of active CPAP compared with 3 months of sham CPAP. 5 Most recently, in a study of 40 men with sleep apnea who were randomized to a brief self-management intervention or to usual care, those in the self-management group who were most adherent to CPAP lost the most weight over a 3-month period.…”