Aerobic interval exercise training improves apnea-hypopnea index in obstructive sleep apnea patients

Purpose :To investigate if high intensity aerobic interval training improves the apnea-hypopnea index (events · h - 1) (AHI) in patients with obstructive sleep apna (OSA) Methods: Thirty men and women (BMI = 37 ± 6 kg/m 2 ) (51±9 years) with OSA (AHI = 42 ± 26) were randomized to 12 weeks of aerobic interval exercise training (AIT) (4 x 4 minutes high intensity treadmill exercise two times/week or control (CON). AHI, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), blood biomarkers and self-reported sleepiness was investigated at baseline and 12 weeks Results: Twenty-eight subjects completed the study. Twenty-four subjects were CPAP users. AIT improved AHI from 31.4 ± 21.7 to 23.9 ± 20.4 after AIT (p< 0.05) but not in CON (50.3 ± 25.5 at baseline and 46.6 ± 26.3 at 12 weeks). The Epworth sleepiness score was improved from 10.0 ± 3.6 to 7.3 ± 3.7 after AIT (p< 0.05) but unchanged from baseline (5.9 ± 4.3) after CON. There was no change in body weight (120.5 ± 26.1 and 118.6 ± 23.1 kg in AIT/CON),average sleep oxygen saturation (92.4 ±1.6% and 92.6 ± 1.6% in AIT/CON) or sleep oxygen desaturation events per hour (36.9 ± 18.6 event·h -1 and 55.8 ± 28.6 event·h -1 in AIT/CON ) after the intervention period. VO2max improved from 28.2 ± 7.4 ml·kg -1 ·min -1 to 30.2 ± ml·kg -1 ·min -1 after AIT (p< 0.05), and was unchanged from baseline (27.0 ± ml·kg -1 ·min -1 ) in CON. Leptin was significantly reduced after AIT (from 1747 ± 1419 pmol·l -1 to 1412 ± 1047 pmol·l -1 (p< 0.05), with no change in CON (1656 pmol·l -1 at baseline). Conclusion: Twelve weeks of aerobic interval exercise training two times/week significantly improves the AHI, self-reported sleepiness and VO2max in OSA patients without any change inbody weight.