Effects of continuous positive airway pressure therapy on depression and anxiety in patients with obstructive sleep apnea with and without coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment brings more benefits to most patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), especially OSA patients with coronary heart disease(CAD). These patients often have emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression, which have a negative impact on their clinical prognosis.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether CPAP can improve anxiety, depression, and inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with OSA with and without comorbid CAD.

METHODS

72 patients were randomly assigned to a CPAP group or a control group. The CPAP group received conventional OSA management plus CPAP therapy, while the control group received only routine OSA treatment. All CAD patients in both groups received standardized CAD treatment. Peripheral blood test reports were collected from each patient at the beginning of treatment and at 6 and 12 months, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used for evaluation.

RESULTS

After 12 months of treatment, the HADS anxiety and depression scores of patients in the CPAP group were significantly improved compared to those in the control group, and the levels of inflammatory factors such as white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils (N), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and procalcitonin (PCT) were also decreased markedly.

CONCLUSION

12 months of CPAP treatment significantly alleviates anxiety and depression in OSA patients, especially those with CAD, and lowers systemic inflammation . More attention should be paid to the relationship between OSA and emotional disorders, particularly in CAD patients. This not only benefits patients' physical well-being, but also supports their mental health.