Cure of sleep apnea syndrome after long-term nasal continuous positive airway pressure therapy and weight loss

Two male patients [aged 53 and 54 years; body mass index (BMI) of 36.8 and 34.4 kg/m2] presented with severely symptomatic sleep apnea syndrome. Polysomnographic recording showed sleep fragmentation, diminution of stages III and IV and continuous sleep-related disordered breathing with mixed and obstructive apneas and hypopneas, and snoring. Apnea index (number of apneas per sleep-hour) was 73 and 30, respectively. These abnormalities were reversed by nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP). Home treatment with nCPAP associated with hypocaloric diet was started. Six months later, all symptoms had disappeared and BMI was 29 and 29.2 kg/m2, respectively. Polygraphic recordings without nCPAP showed regular breathing in all sleep stages, which were stable and normally abundant. Therapy has been discontinued and clinical and polygraphic data have remained normal for up to 6 and 11 months, respectively.