ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)treatment on pulmonary function, frequency of asthmatic attack, and quality of life in patients of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) accompanying with asthma. Methods Twenty-three patients of OSAS accompanying with mild-to-moderate asthma were studied. They were divided into two groups, gastroesophageal reflux ( GER ) group ( n = 9 ) and non-GER group ( n = 14 ), based GER questionnaire score equal to or greater than 12, or less than 12. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs), Epworth sleepy score (ESS), quality of life for obstructive sleep apnea (QOLAp) score, quality of life for asthma (QOLAs) score and polysomnography (PSG) were measured for all the patients before and after four-week CPAP, respectively. Results No significant difference in PFTs was revealed before and after four-week CPAP between the two groups. However, there was significant difference in scores of QOLAp, ESS and QOLAs before and after four-week CPAP treatment, ( 12. 8 ± 2. 8 ) and (4. 6 ± 0. 9), ( 5. 1 ± 0. 7 ) and (6.3 ±0.6), and (4. 1 ±0.5) and (6.3 ±0.5) in GER group, and (13.0 ±2.9) and (4.6 ± 1.1),(4.7±0.5) and (5.6±0.6), and (3.6±0.3) and (5.8 ±0.6) in non-GER group, respectively (P＜0. 01 or 0. 05). Frequencies of asthmatic attack and nocturnal asthmatic attack reduced to ( 1.7 ± 1.1 )episodes per week and (0. 7 ± 0. 3) episodes per week after four-week treatment from (2. 9 ± 2. 0) episodes per week and ( 1.4 ± 0. 8) episodes per week before treatment ( P ＜ 0. 05 ) in GER group, but no significant difference was found before and after treatment in non-GER group. Scores of QOLAs increased more significantly in GER group than that in non-GER group ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). Conclusion CPAP treatment can significantly improve quality of life, rather than pulmonary function, in patients of OSAS accompanying with asthma, especially in those with GER symptoms.