Effect of a 2 week CPAP treatment on mood states in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a double-blind trial

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disease with significant medical and psychiatric comorbidities. The literature documenting the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on mood in OSA patients is mixed. We previously observed that 1 week of CPAP treatment did not result in improvements in mood beyond those observed in a group treated with placebo-CPAP. This study examined the effect of a 2 week CPAP treatment on mood in a placebo-controlled design in OSA patients. Fifty patients with untreated sleep apnea were evaluated by polysomnography and completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) pre-/post-treatment. The patients were randomized for 2 weeks to either therapeutic CPAP or placebo-CPAP (at insufficient pressure). Both the therapeutic CPAP and the placebo-CPAP groups showed significant improvements in POMS total score, tension, fatigue, and confusion. No significant time x treatment effect was observed for either group. We could not show a specific beneficial impact of CPAP treatment on mood in OSA patients.