CPAP therapy improves right ventricular dysfunction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) are subject to an increased cardiovascular morbidity including right ventricular dysfunction. It is supposed that effective treatment improves or prevents negatively affected cardiovascular variables. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is widely used in the treatment of OSAS. This study evaluated the effects of long-term CPAP application over two years on right ventricular ejection fraction in seven consecutive patients (59.3±8.4 years; median 56.0) with OSAS and pretherapeutically impaired right ventricular function. Five of the seven patients showed an increase of right ventricular function under CPAP therapy resulting in a significant improvement of RVEF in the study group (39.9±4.4% (median 42.0) vs. 54.3±15.5% (median 57.0); p