Comparison of Patient Perceived Well Being and Objective Measures of Physical Function in OSA

Abstract

1107 Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disease affecting an estimated 1 in 5 adults, is characterized by repetitive nocturnal arousals and hypoxemic episodes. Changes in quality of life (QoL) among OSA patients have been examined previously, but it is uncertain whether patient-perceived changes in QoL components that represent physical functioning are related to objective physiological indicators of function obtained during exercise. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of OSA on attributes of QoL pertinent to physical functioning and assess how these relate to laboratory measures of exercise tolerance. METHODS: Eighteen subjects with known OSA (age 44.8 ± 10.1 yr) underwent 12 wk of CPAP treatment while six (age 40.8 ± 10.2) served as controls. Ten of the treated OSA subjects completed a mild exercise program concurrent with CPAP treatment. Subjects performed maximal ramping ergometer exercise tests and SF-36 questionnaires at baseline, 6 wk, and 12 wk. RESULTS: General health, role physical, and physical function were lower in OSA subjects than in controls at baseline (p < 0.05). In the OSA group, general health and role physical subscales increased (p<0.05) over the first 6 wk of treatment and remained constant for the following 6 wk. There was no relationship between changes in the QoL measures between these time points and corresponding changes in objective measures of physical function, including submaximal HR and RPE, total test time, and maximal workload. CONCLUSIONS: Although CPAP treatment significantly improved several parameters of QoL, there does not appear to be any concordance in the subjective vs. objective markers of physical fuctioning. These findings suggest that often reported euphoria accompanying CPAP treatment may not be indicative of enhanced physiological function. Sponsored in part by ResMed Corporation.