A Randomized Controlled Trial of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Glucose Tolerance in Obese Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), even in patients with morbid obesity. Our goal was to address whether continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment improved glucose metabolism in this population. DESIGN: Prospective randomized controlled trial SETTINGS: Sleep clinics of Hospital Universitary de Bellvitge and Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona Spain. PATIENTS: Severe OSA patients with morbid obesity without diabetes. INTERVENTIONS: Patients received conservative (CT) versus CPAP treatment for 12 weeks. MEASUREMENTS: MetS components, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and oral glucose tolerance were assessed at baseline and after treatment. RESULTS: A total of 80 patients completed the study (42 CPAP and 38 CT patients). After 12 weeks of CPAP treatment, weight loss was similar in both groups and physical activity, prevalence of MetS and HOMA-IR did not change in either group. In the CPAP group impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) reversed in 9 patients and none developed IGT, while IGT reversed in 5 patients and 5 developed IGT in the CT group (p=0.039 in the Fisher test). Changes in 2 hour plasma glucose after glucose load were greater in the CPAP group than in the CT group (CPAP: -0.5±1.5 vs CT: 0.33±1.9, p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: The improvement of glucose tolerance in morbidly obese patients with severe OSA, without changes in HOMA-IR, supports an improvement in peripheral insulin resistance after CPAP treatment.