Early effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy on Right Ventricular Function in patients with newly diagnosed Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Abstract

Introduction: There is a paucity of studies on right ventricular (RV) function in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Depressed RV function is related to sleep apnoea severity based on the apnoea hypopnea index (AHI). Therefore we used basic echocardiographic measurements of RV function to evaluate early systolic changes (improvements) pre and post the application of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). Aim: To investigate RV function and the effect of CPAP on RV function in patients with newly diagnosed OSA. Methods: Newly diagnosed patients with OSA were selected. Eleven patients with an Apnoea–hypopnea index (AHI) greater than 10 were enrolled to receive CPAP therapy and were assessed after 12 weeks. CPAP compliance was set at >4hrs usage per night on 70% of all nights. Echocardiography (ECHO) including RV assessment was performed at baseline and after 12 weeks of CPAP therapy. Right Ventricular Diameter (RVD1), Total Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE) and Fractional Area Changes (FAC) were measured. Results: Our measurements showed that Right Ventricular Size (RVD1) and FAC was reduced and RV function had improved as assessed by TAPSE over the 12 weeks and these improvements were statistically significant: (p Conclusion: RV function can improve as early as 12 weeks into CPAP therapy as assessed by simple echocardiography measurements of RV size and function.