Open AccessReduction of CRP after CPAP Treatment of OSA: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of the Literature
Author(s) -
Friedman Michael,
Kelley Kanwar,
Fischer Michelle,
Lin HsinChing,
Wang Pachun
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
otolaryngology–head and neck surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.232
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1097-6817
pISSN - 0194-5998
DOI - 10.1177/0194599811416318a293
Subject(s) - medicine , meta analysis , continuous positive airway pressure , obstructive sleep apnea , c reactive protein , systemic inflammation , inflammation
Objective 1) Determine the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). 2) Demonstrate the effect of CPAP on general health status using CRP as a marker for cardiovascular health. Method A computerized search was conducted using PubMed, Ovid, and the Cochrane database. A systematic review was preformed to identify studies that included CRP levels in adult patients (age >18 years) with OSA pre‐ and post‐CPAP treatment. Results Initial search results identified 136 articles of which 64 articles then underwent second‐stage review. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria and a meta‐analysis was performed to determine the overall change in CRP levels. Meta‐analysis included 325 subjects (mean sample size of 32.5 patients) with mean BMI of 33.12. The mean CRP level in patients with OSA decreased from 0.43 ± 0.39 mg/dL to 0.35 ± 0.346 mg/dL following CPAP treatment (p = 0.002). Conclusion In patients with OSA, CRP levels significantly decrease after CPAP therapy. Therefore, using CRP as a marker systemic inflammation, CPAP reduction of CRP levels may benefit patients’ cardiovascular health in addition to controlling OSA symptoms.