Background: Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) commonly have mood symptoms such as depression and anxiety. However, the results of randomized controlled trials on the therapeutic effect of CPAP on mood symptoms have been inconsistent. The present study examined whether three weeks of CPAP treatment had specific therapeutic effects on mood symptoms in patients with OSA compared with placebo.
Methods: A double-blind, parallel, randomized controlled trial using therapeutic and placebo CPAP was performed in 71 patients newly diagnosed with OSA (apnoea-hypopnoea index [AHI]⩾10). Mood was assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) Scale, the Profile of Mood States (POMS), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) before and after three weeks of treatment. AHI was used to assess the severity of apnoea. The two groups were compared using a simple comparison of the changes within each arm and repeated measures analysis of variance.
Results: Fifty-six subjects completed the study: 26 in the CPAP group and 30 in the placebo group. The two groups were well matched at baseline, with no significant differences in demographic, mood and apnoea variables. Both groups had severe apnoea, mild depression, and anxiety at baseline. After three weeks of treatment, AHI decreased significantly in the CPAP group. The mean change in AHI was -30.7 (standard deviation [SD] 23.1) in the CPAP group and -5.8 (SD 18.3) in the placebo group (difference between groups P<0.001). However, after three weeks of treatment, there were no significant time by treatment effects in relation to mood, as assessed by the CES-D, POMS Depression, POMS Tension, BSI Depression, or BSI Anxiety (all P>0.05).
Conclusion: In conclusion, three weeks of CPAP treatment did not show a specific therapeutic effect on mood symptoms in patients with OSA.
Published by Elsevier B.V.