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The effect of continuous positive airway pressure treatment on physical activity levels in obstructive sleep apnea patients

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is becoming an increasingly prevalent health problem, affecting 4% of men and 2% of women in North America. OSA is associated with many debilitating side-effects and co-morbidities; the most common being excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), which effects the majority of OSA sufferers. EDS is negatively associated with physical activity (PA) and exercise. As a result, EDS may decrease the levels of PA performed by OSA patients. Previous research has revealed that the OSA population engages in less physical activity than the average healthy population. Studies show that CPAP treatment positively impacts EDS, and therefore; may impact PA. The primary purpose of this study was to objectively measure OSA patients' PA levels prior to CPAP treatment and 8 weeks after treatment initiation to assess whether CPAP treatment' impacts PA levels.Actigraph GT 1 M measures PA was assessed at baseline (prior to CPAP) and 8-weeks after. initiation of CPAP treatment. At each time frame, cardiovascular., blood data, body composition, and maximal cycle ergometer exercise measures were obtained. Also, subjective questionnaires, 1 reflective of sleep apnea and 1 regarding PA, were completed by the subjects.Six male subjects with severe OSA (AHI = 41.2 ± 28.4 events/hr) started and completed the study. No significant changes occurred in PA, represented as steps/day nor mean activity counts/day, throughout the 8 weeks of CPAP treatment. Significant changes were found in diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and Epworth sleepiness scale scores. No significant changes occurred in any other body composition, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and blood glucose. Exercise parameters, total test time, peak Watts, and V02max trended toward an increase and maximal heart rate and blood pressure toward a decrease, but none changed significantly.In conclusion, these results demonstrated that 8 weeks of CPAP treatment was not successful in increasing PA levels of severe OSA patients. The OSA subjects were categorized as sedentary according to their steps/day. Compliance to CPAP could have been an issue with subjects' average nightly usage ranging from 1.85 – 6.6hours/night. Consequently, more research regarding OSA patients PA habits and CPAP treatments effects on PA should be investigated. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/188480
Date January 2008
CreatorsLedman, Cassandra A.
ContributorsHargens, Trent A.
Source SetsBall State University
Detected LanguageEnglish
Formatix, 127 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.
SourceVirtual Press

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