David Liu and editing by Denise Reynolds

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy reduced fatigue and increased energy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, according to a trial led by Lianne Tomfohr and colleagues at San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego.

The researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial of 59 patients with sleep apnea (at least 10 partial or complete sleep pauses per hour) at an average age of 48 and found the three-week CPAP therapy reduced mean fatigue significantly on two independent measures. Patients receiving the treatment had a clinically significant decreased level of fatigue and increased energy levels.

CPAP therapy uses a mask patients can wear during sleep that delivers a steady stream of air, which keeps the airway open to prevent pauses in breathing.

Additionally, the CPAP therapy significantly reduced daytime sleepiness with patients' mean score on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale dropping to 8.9 after treatment from 13.0 at baseline.

The study was published in the journal Sleep.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep-related breathing disorder that affects an estimated 2 to 4 percent of adults. Patients with the disorder experience a collapse of the soft tissue in the back of the throat during sleep, blocking the upper airway and reducing the sleep quality. The problem often results in fatigue and excessive daytime sleepiness. Sleep apnea can increase risk of high blood pressure, myocardial infarction, stroke, and diabetes among other things.

Another study led by M. Barnes and colleagues from Institute for Breathing and Sleep in Victoria, Australia suggests a low energy diet and exercise helped improve clinical outcomes in obstructive sleep apnea in obese patients.

The study, published in the Oct 15, 2009 issue of Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, showed patients enrolled in a 16-week low-calorie diet and exercise program lost weight and improved in clinically important neurobehavioral and cardiometabolic outcomes, but did not improve sleep disordered breathing. 

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