Endocrine effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure in male patients with obstructive sleep apnoea

• Published in: Journal of internal medicine Vol. 254; no. 5; pp. 447 - 454
• Main Authors: Meston, N., Davies, R. J. O., Mullins, R., Jenkinson, C., Wass, J. A. H., Stradling, J. R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2003; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Aldosterone - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Continuous positive airway pressure; Endocrinopathies; General aspects. Associated endocrine diseases. Endocrine paraneoplasic syndromes; hormones; Hormones - blood; Humans; hypogonadism; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Nervous system involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous; Neurology; Positive-Pressure Respiration; Quality of Life; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin - metabolism; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - blood; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - therapy; sleep apnoea; Testosterone - blood; Thyrotropin - blood; sleep apnoea; Mineralocorticoid; hormones; Sex hormone binding protein; Male; Thyroid stimulating hormone; Glycoprotein hormone; Aldosterone; Randomization; Positive pressure; Hormonal investigation; Nasal route; Human; Nervous system diseases; Sleep apnea syndrome; Assisted ventilation; Androgen; Respiratory disease; Steroid hormone; Insulin like growth factor 1; Testosterone; Treatment; hypogonadism; Adenohypophyseal hormone; Adrenal hormone
• ISSN: 0954-6820; 1365-2796
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2796.2003.01212.x

. Meston N, Davies RJO, Mullins R, Jenkinson C, Wass JAH, Stradling JR (University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital; Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine and University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital; Health Services Research Unit; Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Infirmary; Oxford, UK). Endocrine effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure in male patients with obstructive sleep apnoea. J Intern Med 2003; 254: 447–454. Objective. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a relatively common condition producing disabling somnolence and profound physiological responses to hypoxaemic episodes during sleep, including significant oscillations in blood pressure. This study aimed to provide controlled data on the interaction between OSA and endocrine axes to establish whether overrepresentation of pathology such as hypertension and hypogonadism in OSA subjects might have an endocrine basis. Design, setting and subjects. Parallel randomized sham placebo controlled 1‐month trial of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) in 101 male subjects with OSA presenting to a respiratory sleep clinic. Methods. Analysis of gonadotrophins, testosterone, sex hormone binding protein (SHBG), prolactin, cortisol, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (free T4), insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1), renin and aldosterone were performed at baseline and after 1 month's active or placebo nCPAP intervention. Quality of life questionnaire scoring was also recorded over the same time period. Results. Testosterone and SHBG showed significant negative correlations with baseline OSA severity. Active treatment of OSA produced SHBG elevation and TSH reduction (P ≤ 0.03). Both groups showed an increase in aldosterone (P < 0.001) and IGF‐1 (P ≤ 0.03), associated with a large improvement in subjective quality of life scoring. Conclusions. These findings demonstrate significant changes in endocrine axes not previously reported in a placebo‐controlled trial. OSA is a recognized reversible cause of testosterone reduction; SHBG suppression correlating to baseline OSA severity supports a diagnosis of secondary hypogonadism. Significant rises in aldosterone and IGF‐1 on treatment coincide with increased physical activity and an improved quality of life score.