Acute Variations in Blood Pressure and Pulse Transient Time in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients Receiving Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is strongly associated with cardiovascular morbidity, particularly hypertension. While continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the gold-standard treatment, its effects on blood pressure (BP) dynamics and alternative monitoring methods like pulse transit time (PTT) require further investigation. This cross-sectional study at Bamdad Respiratory Research Center (2020) enrolled 33 adults (mean age 55±15.24 years; 42.4% female) with moderate-to-severe OSA (AHI>15). Participants underwent split-night polysomnography with CPAP titration. BP was measured hourly using Holter monitoring before, during, and after CPAP, while PTT was derived from ECG R-waves and fingertip photoplethysmography. Statistical analysis employed paired t-tests and Bonferroni correction. CPAP significantly reduced systolic BP (SBP) from 130.64±4.13 mmHg to 121.23±3.29 mmHg (p<0.001), though diastolic BP (DBP) changes (78.11±1.69 to 75.39±1.97 mmHg) were non-significant (p>0.05). PTT values increased during CPAP (baseline: 243.54±6.79 ms; post-CPAP: 245.31±8.69 ms), correlating with BP reductions but without statistical significance in pairwise comparisons (p>0.05). CPAP effectively lowers SBP in OSA patients, with PTT showing promise as a non-invasive BP monitoring tool. While PTT trends mirrored BP improvements, further research is needed to establish its clinical utility.
Authors: Hashemi, Mohammad, Amra, Babak, Mirjani, Mohammad Hossein, Schöbel, Christoph, Penzel, Thomas
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4411845237