Effects of continuous positive airway pressure therapy on endothelial dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea patients: a Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials / 中国医师进修杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on the endothelial function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods This study strictly followed the PRISMA principle. PubMed, Web of Science and the Cochrane Collaboration Database were searched on randomized controlled trials (RCT) which assessed the effects of CPAP on endothelial function of OSA patients from 1992 to 2013. The parameters of endothelial function evaluation included endothelium-dependent vasodilation function (EDV) and endothelium-independent vasodilation function (EIV). EDV was used to detect flow mediated dilation (FMD) and reactive hyperemia index (RHI), and EIV was used to detect nitroglycerin-induced dilation (GTN-ID). Results A total of 4 articles (137 patients) were selected. Meta-analysis results showed that CPAP significantly altered the overall EDV standardized mean difference ( SMD )＝1.42, 95% CI 0.45 to 2.38, P＝0.004; and the FMD was significantly improved weighed mean difference ( WMD ) ＝ 3.94, 95% CI 1.30 to 6.57, P ＝ 0.003. CPAP did not significantly alter the GTN-ID WMD ＝ -0.71, 95% CI 2.69 to 1.26, P ＝ 0.48. Conclusions Using CPAP to treat OSA patients is beneficial to promoting overall EDV improvement, but the EIV has not improved significantly.