Effect of different treatments for obstructive sleep apnoea on blood pressure

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common cause of secondary hypertension. This network meta-analysis (NMA) assessed the effect of different OSA treatments on lowering blood pressure. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials. The search strategies included the concepts of OSA, blood pressure, hypertension, and blood pressure-reducing treatments without language or data restriction (from inception to 1 June 2021). The outcomes included office SBP, office DBP, daytime SBP (dSBP) and DBP (dDBP), and night-time SBP (nSBP) and DBP (nDBP). A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed, and mean differences with 95% credibility intervals were calculated. Results: : We reviewed 49 randomized controlled trials involving 4893 patients and the following interventions: continuous positive-airway pressure (CPAP), mandibular advancement devices, nocturnal supplemental oxygen, surgery, β-blocker, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs)/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), renal sympathetic denervation (RDN), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), calcium channel blockers. MRAs were significantly associated with blood pressure reduction followed by ACEI/ARB. RDN could reduce office SBP, office DBP, 24-h SBP, 24-h DBP, dSBP, and dDBP. CPAP also demonstrated modest blood pressure lowering. Conclusion: MRAs and ACEIs/ARBs can reduce blood pressure effectively in patients with OSA. RDN is a novel hypertension treatment that lowered blood pressure in such patients. CPAP was associated with mild but stable blood pressure reduction, and it might be helpful as an adjunctive therapy in OSA patients with hypertension. Review registration: This systematic review and meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO: CRD42021240891.