Abstract
Objective: 1) Determine the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). 2) Demonstrate the effect of CPAP on general health status using CRP as a marker for cardiovascular health.
Method: A computerized search was conducted using PubMed, Ovid, and the Cochrane database. A systematic review was preformed to identify studies that included CRP levels in adult patients (age >18 years) with OSA pre- and post-CPAP treatment.
Results: Initial search results identified 136 articles of which 64 articles then underwent second-stage review. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria and a meta-analysis was performed to determine the overall change in CRP levels. Meta-analysis included 325 subjects (mean sample size of 32.5 patients) with mean BMI of 33.12. The mean CRP level in patients with OSA decreased from 0.43 ± 0.39 mg/dL to 0.35 ± 0.346 mg/dL following CPAP treatment (p = 0.002).
Conclusion: In patients with OSA, CRP levels significantly decrease after CPAP therapy. Therefore, using CRP as a marker systemic inflammation, CPAP reduction of CRP levels may benefit patients’ cardiovascular health in addition to controlling OSA symptoms.
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