Weight Loss and obstructive sleep apnea: what lies AHEAD?

The effectiveness of a weight-loss Mediterranean diet/lifestyle intervention in the management of obstructive sleep apnea: Results of the "MIMOSA" randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Although continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), lifestyle interventions have also emerged as complementary therapeutic choices. We aimed to explore whether the addition of a weight-loss Mediterranean diet/lifestyle intervention to OSA standard care, i.e. CPAP prescription and brief written healthy lifestyle advice, has an incremental effect on improving OSA severity, over the effect of standard care alone.

METHODS

We designed a parallel, randomized, controlled, superiority clinical trial. Eligible participants were adult, overweight men and women, diagnosed with moderate-to-severe OSA [apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)≥ 15 events/h] through an attended overnight polysomnography. Participants were blindly randomized to a standard care group (SCG, n = 65), a Mediterranean diet group (MDG, n = 62) or a Mediterranean lifestyle group (MLG, n = 60). All three study groups were prescribed with CPAP. The SCG additionally received written healthy lifestyle advice, while intervention arms were subjected to a 6-month behavioral intervention aiming at weight loss and increasing adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The MLG also received counselling on physical activity and sleep habits. Polysomnographic data and OSA symptoms were evaluated pre- and post-intervention.

RESULTS

A total of 187 OSA patients were recruited. Seven patients were excluded post-randomization and 53/180 (29%) were lost to follow-up. No harms from the interventions applied were reported. According to intention-to-treat analysis (n = 180), mean (95% confidence interval) AHI change was -4.2 (-7.4, -1.0) for the SCG, -24.7 (-30.4, -19.1) for the MDG and -27.3 (-33.9, -20.6) for the MLG. Post-intervention age-, sex-, baseline- and CPAP use-adjusted AHI was significantly lower in the MDG and the MLG compared to the SCG (mean difference: -18.0, and -21.2, respectively, both P < 0.001), and the differences remained significant after further adjustment for body-weight change (P = 0.004 and 0.008, respectively). Other respiratory event indices, daytime sleepiness and insomnia were also significantly lower in both intervention arms compared to the SCG (all P < 0.05). The MLG only presented higher percent rapid-eye-movement sleep and lower daytime sleepiness compared to the MDG (both P < 0.05). Results were similar in the per-protocol analysis (n = 127).

CONCLUSIONS

A dietary/lifestyle intervention on top of standard care leads to greater improvements in OSA severity and symptomatology compared to standard care alone. Benefits are evident regardless of CPAP use and weight loss.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02515357, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02515357.

A review of psychosocial factors and personality in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea

Effective treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is primarily determined by adherence to the selected intervention. The most common treatment pathways are mechanical devices such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or a mandibular advancement device, often combined with weight loss therapy. Weight reduction is usually an adjunct therapy but may be used as a secondary treatment in mild-to-moderate OSA when mechanical treatments cannot be tolerated. To enhance the uptake and adherence to treatment, clinicians may assess patient's personality profiles and psychological readiness. There is a paucity of evidence related to these aspects of patient care and this article outlines the current research in relation to patient presentation, treatment uptake and barriers, and methods to enhance treatment adherence.

This article disseminates personality traits observed in patients with OSA and identifies vulnerable groups who may require additional support to increase treatment adherence. It summarises the current evidence for treatment barriers in patients with OSA. Low self-efficacy in relation to CPAP and weight loss adherence will be explored as well as the potential to predict treatment responders and enhance therapeutic uptake and adherence. Extending personality traits into research and clinical practice could potentially result in more successful CPAP therapy and weight loss treatment outcomes.