Effect of continuous positive airway pressure on atrial remodeling and diastolic dysfunction of patients with obstructive sleep apnea and metabolic syndrome: a randomized study

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment on heart remodeling and diastolic dysfunction in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods This study is a prespecified analysis of a randomized placebo‐controlled trial that enrolled patients with a recent diagnosis of MS and moderate‐to‐severe OSA to undergo continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or nasal dilators (placebo) for 6 months. Patients were invited to perform a transthoracic echocardiogram by a single investigator blinded to treatment assignment. Results A total of 99 (79% men; mean [SD], age: 48 [9] years; BMI: 33 [4] kg/m 2 ) completed the study. At follow‐up, in the placebo group, patients had a significant increase in atrial diameter: from 39.5 (37.0‐43.0) mm to 40.5 (39.0‐44.8) mm ( p = 0.003). CPAP prevented atrial enlargement: from 40.0 (38.0‐44.0) to 40.0 (39.0‐45.0) mm ( p = 0.194). In patients with diastolic dysfunction at baseline, almost half had diastolic dysfunction reversibility with CPAP (in comparison with only two patients in the placebo group, p = 0.039). In the regression analysis, the chance of diastolic dysfunction reversibility by CPAP was 6.8‐fold (95% CI: 1.48‐50.26, p = 0.025) compared with placebo. Conclusions In patients with MS and OSA, 6 months of CPAP therapy prevented atrial remodeling and increased the chance of diastolic dysfunction reversibility.