Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test in Patient With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

American Sleep Apnea Association considers exercise as a non-pharmacological treatment modality of sleep disorders . Theoretical reviews and hypotheses on the effects of exercise in OSA have suggested thermoregulatory, metabolic, and biochemical mechanisms although clinical trials on the topic are inadequate .

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is used as a stress test to evaluate cardiac, pulmonary, and muscle function. It has also been used to differentiate whether the etiology of impairment of the ca. rdiopulmonary exercise test is cardiac, pulmonary or muscle dysfunction In otherwise healthy subjects, exercise limitation is due to heart disease. Patients with OSAS are frequently overweight and may exhibit lung function abnormalities related to their weight. These include a decrease in the functional residual capacity (FRC) due mainly to a decrease in the expiratory reserve volume (ERV) and a decrease in compliance of the respiratory system. These functional abnormalities cause an increase in the energy cost of breathing. In addition, increased body mass is associated with greater metabolic energy requirements during muscular exercise, resulting in further ventilatory stress. There are reports demonstrating that there are discriminating measurements during exercise in obesity, including a high O2 cost to perform external work, and upward displacement of the VO2 -WR relationship OSAS patients have daytime hypersomnolence, decreased daily activity and tissue hypoxemia which may further impair muscle function and decrease exercise fitness. Recently, Peppard and Young (2004) found that, independent of body habitus, lack of exercise was associated with increased severity of sleep-disordered breathing measurements during exercise in obesity, including a high O2 cost to perform external work, and upward displacement of the VO2 -WR relationship. OSAS patients have daytime hypersomnolence, decreased daily activity and tissue hypoxemia which may further impair muscle function and decrease exercise fitness. Recently, Peppard and Young (2004) found that, independent of body habitus, lack of exercise was associated with increased severity of sleep-disordered breathing