O004 The effect of treating OSA with CPAP on mood and sleepiness

INTRODUCTION: Excessive sleepiness and symptoms of depression and anxiety are highly prevalent in individuals with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of treating OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on mood and daytime sleepiness. METHODS: Seventy-eight participants (mean age 51.3±12.2 years; 41% female) with previously diagnosed OSA were randomised to either treatment as usual (TAU CPAP, n=43) or to a waitlist control group (WL, n=35). Participants in the TAU CPAP group were implemented with CPAP via an in-laboratory sleep study at the Austin Health sleep laboratory. CPAP initiation was delayed for participants in the WL group by 4 months. Sleepiness and depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, were measured at baseline and 4 months follow-up and compared between groups. CPAP use was measured in the TAU CPAP group. RESULTS: Participants in both groups reported mild symptoms of depression at baseline. Daytime sleepiness (p<.001) improved in the TAU CPAP group compared to the WL group, but not symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Baseline stress symptoms in females improved in the TAU CPAP group compared to the WL group (p<.007). Mean CPAP use was 3.5(2.9) h/night in the TAU CPAP group. DISCUSSION: Daytime sleepiness was improved with 4 months of CPAP use compared to no treatment. Mood did not improve with 4 months of CPAP therapy. Developing an OSA-specific tool to measure mood symptoms may be beneficial, and future studies should carefully consider recruitment criteria to include participants with mood symptoms at baseline.