Effects of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy on Nocturnal Blood Pressure Fluctuation Patterns in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, a well-established treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), on nocturnal blood pressure fluctuations (NBPFs) during rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep, and to evaluate the NBPF patterns in patients with OSA. We included 34 patients with moderate-to-severe OSA who underwent polysomnography using pulse transit time before and at 3–6 months after CPAP therapy. Nocturnal BP and NBPF frequency in REM and non-REM sleep were investigated, as well as NBPF pattern changes after receiving CPAP therapy. CPAP therapy resulted in significant reductions in the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), arousal index, nocturnal systolic and diastolic BP, and NBPF frequency in REM and non-REM sleep (all p < 0.01). A higher AHI before CPAP resulted in lower nocturnal systolic BP (r = 0.40, p = 0.019) and NBPFs (r = 0.51, p = 0.002) after CPAP. However, 58.8% of patients showed no change in NBPF patterns with CPAP therapy. CPAP therapy significantly improved almost all sleep-related parameters, nocturnal BP, and NBPF frequency in REM and non-REM sleep periods, but NBPF patterns showed various changes post-CPAP therapy. These results suggest that factors other than OSA influence changes in NBPF patterns.