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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Dec 30.
Published in final edited form as: Eur Respir J. 2016 Oct 20;48(6):1640–1657. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00689-2016

TABLE 4.

Summary of effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on physical activity levels in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients

Author [ref.] Year Participants AHI cutoff
events·h−1 		Sample
size		 Age
years M/F		 Baseline
BMI kg·m−2 		Baseline
ESS		 Design CPAP
duration		 CPAP
compliance h per
night M/F		 Outcomes Main findings:
effect of CPAP
Questiornnaire-based assessment
 Batool-Anwar [47] 2014 Active CPAP ≥10 117 54.0±13.0/ 55.0±13.0 33.0±6.3*/36.0 ±11.0 10.0±4. 0/ 10.7±4.6 Sham-controlled, parallel; RCT 4 months 4.0±2.9** /3.5±2.8 Physical activity questionnaire ↔ total energy expenditure;
↑ recreational calories expended in females in CPAP group at 4 months
Sham CPAP ≥10 114 55.0±14.0/ 54.0±13.0 31.0±5.5*/ 34.0±8.8 9.7±4.3/ 9.7±3.7 4 months 2.6±2.6**/2.9±2.6
 Billings [69] 2013 OSA-CPAP compliant ≥15 21 50.5±2.0 36.0±2.0 15.4±0.7 Baseline to post-treatment 2 weeks; 3 months; 6 months 2 weeks 5.2±0.3
3 months 5.1±0.3
6 months 5.7±0.3		 Physical activity questionnaire ↑ daily hours of activity;
↑ strenuous weekly activity
 Salord [70] 2015 CPAP >30 42 48.5±8.6 45.7±5.0 7.9±4.5 Placebo-controlled, parallel; RCT 3 months 5.4±1.6 Physical activity questionnaire ↔ METS min per week between groups
CT >30 38 44.6±9.4 49.3±6.6* 7.9±5.2 3 months
Accelerometry-based assessment
 Chasens [71] 2014 Active CPAP ≥10 23 55.6±10.6 35.5±6.2 11.4±4.6 Placebo-controlled, parallel; RCT 4 weeks 96–489 min per night SenseWear armband ↑ steps walked in active versus sham CPAP
Sham CPAP ≥10 12 10.6±3.7 8 weeks
 Diamanti [34] 2013 OSA-CPAP compliant ≥15 24 51.9±10.6 34.4±6.5 8.3±4.0 Baseline to post-treatment 6–11 months 6.3±0.8 Ankle accelerometer ↔ energy expenditure or steps per day after treatment
 Igelstrom [38] 2014 OSA ≥15 35 53.0±11.0 33.6±4.3 N/R Baseline to post-treatment; RCT 6 months >4 in 73% of participants SenseWear armband ↓ sedentary time after treatment
↔ MVPA or steps per day
 Jean [72] 2015 OSA >5 62 53.0±13.0 38.0±11.0 N/R Baseline to post-treatment 3 months
7 months		 >4 in 73% of participants Pedometer ↑ steps per day at 3 and 7 month follow-up
 Kerley [73] 2012 OSA N/R 15 54.7 N/R N/R Baseline to post-treatment 3 months N/R SenseWear armband Trend toward ↑ total daily energy expenditure and physical activity
 Lemmer [74] 2016 OSA >30 7 60.5±8.1# 35.0±4.7# N/R Baseline to post-treatment 2 months N/R Wrist accelerometer ↓ sleep movement arousals after treatment
 Mansukhani [75] 2012 OSA x̄ = 16 3 44.0±7.0 N/R N/R Baseline to post-treatment 1 month N/R Accelerometer Trend toward ↑ nonexercise activity thermogenesis (p=0.08) and upright motion (p=0.07) after treatment
 Mendelson [76] 2014 CPAP, SC >15 42 63.0±9.0 30.2±5.7 8.7±4.5 Placebo-controlled, parallel; RCT 4 months 4.16±2.8 SenseWear armband ↔ steps per day; energy expenditure (kcal) or METS after treatment in either group
CPAP, TM >15 40 62.0±9.0 29.6±3.0 7.2±4.3 3.12±3.0
 Pamidi [49] 2015 CPAP ≥5 26 53.8±6.2 36.8±7.8 10.0±5.9 Placebo-controlled, parallel; RCT 2 weeks 8 Wrist accelerometer ↔ physical activity levels between groups
Oral placebo ≥5 13 55.2±8.4 32.7±4.3 10.9±5.0 2 weeks
 Tachikawa [48] 2016 OSA >20 63 60.6±10.0 27.9±3.8 8.7±5.3 Baseline to post-treatment 1 day; 3 months 4.5±1.6 Wrist accelerometer ↔ physical activity levels
 West [77] 2007 Active CPAP N/R+ 19 57.8±10.4 36.6±4.9 14.7±3.5 Placebo-controlled, parallel; RCT 3 months 3.6±2.8 Wrist accelerometer ↔ physical activity levels during most active least active periods
Sham CPAP N/R+ 21 54.5±9.4 36.8±4.6 13.6±3.5 3.3±3.0
 West [78] 2009 Active CPAP N/R+ 16 57.2±11.2 37.4±4.4 13.4±2.6 Placebo-controlled, parallel; RCT 3 months 3.8±2.8 Wrist accelerometer ↔ mean hourly physical activity over 24 h
Sham CPAP N/R+ 20 54.1±9.8 36.2± 4.3 13.3±3.4 3.7±2.9

Data are presented as n or mean±SD, unless otherwise stated. AHI: apnoea–hypopnoea index; M: male; F: female; BMI: body mass index; ESS: Epworth sleepiness scale; RCT: randomised controlled trial; METS: metabolic equivalents; CT: conservative treatment; N/R: not reported; MVPA: moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; SC: standard care; TM: telemedicine. ↑: significant increase; ↓: significant decrease.

#

full OSA group at baseline, not just those with physical activity measures;

full groups at baseline, including dropouts;

+

>10 dips·h−1 in oxygen saturation of >4%.

*

p<0.05 M versus F;

**

p<0.05 active versus sham within males.