The impact of obstructive sleep apnea treatment on microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes: a feasibility randomized controlled trial

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of diabetes-related complications. Hence, it is plausible that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) could have a favorable impact on these complications. We assessed the feasibility of conducting a randomized control trial in patients with type 2 diabetes and OSA over 2 years. We conducted an open-label multicenter feasibility randomized control trial of CPAP vs no CPAP in patients with type 2 diabetes and OSA. Patients with resting oxygen saturation < 90%, central apnea index > 15 events/h, or Epworth Sleepiness Scale ≥ 11 were excluded. OSA was diagnosed using a multichannel portable device (ApneaLink Air, ResMed). The primary outcome measures were related to feasibility and the secondary outcomes were changes in various clinical and biochemical parameters related to diabetes outcomes. Eighty-three (40 CPAP vs 43 no CPAP) patients were randomly assigned, with a median (interquartile range) follow-up of 645 (545, 861) days. CPAP compliance was inadequate, with a median usage of approximately 3.5 hours/night. Early CPAP use predicted longer-term compliance. The adjusted analysis showed a possible favorable association between being randomly assigned to CPAP and several diabetes-related end points (chronic kidney disease, neuropathy, and quality of life). It was feasible to recruit, randomly assign, and achieve a high follow-up rate over 2 years in patients with OSA and type 2 diabetes. CPAP compliance might improve by a run-in period before randomization. A full randomized control trial is necessary to assess the observed favorable association between CPAP and chronic kidney disease , neuropathy, and quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes. Registry: ISRCTN; Name: The impact of sleep disorders in patients with type 2 diabetes; URL: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN12361838; Identifier: ISRCTN12361838. Makhdom EA, Maher A, Ottridge R, et al. The impact of obstructive sleep apnea treatment on microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes: a feasibility randomized controlled trial. . 2024;20(6):947-957.