Relationship between reflux diseases and obstructive sleep apnea together with continuous positive airway pressure treatment efficiency analysis

Abstract Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is known to be highly associated with reflux diseases. There is evidence that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can decrease the clinical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in OSA patients, but whether CPAP can decrease nocturnal laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) episodes is still lack of strong evidence. Objective To investigate the efficiency of CPAP on LPR and the relationship between LPR, GER and OSA. Study design retrospective study. Methods Forty adult patients who had confirmed OSA by polysomnography and suspected LPR were enrolled. Their results of synchronous polysomnography and 24h esophageal and oropharyngeal Dx-pH monitoring were analyzed. Twenty-seven OSA patients were treated with CPAP on the second night. The nocturnal reflux parameters with and without CPAP treatment were compared. Results 15.0% and 42.5% of OSA patients were associated with LPR and GER through Dx-pH monitoring respectively. Nevertheless, more than one reflux attack falling below pH6.0 of oropharynx during sleep time was detected in 80.0% patients. There was a significant inverse correlation between the lowest/mean pH values of oropharynx and obstructive apnea index (OAI), so was the lowest pH values of esophagus. Significant positive correlation was calculated between the total number of reflux episodes below pH6.0 of oropharynx and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)/OAI/hypopnea index (HI). A similar positive correlation was also significant between AHI/OAI and GER parameters. The assessment of the efficacy of CPAP treatment showed significant difference both in GER and LPR related parameter. Conclusions OSA patients have a higher incidence of nocturnal LPR and GER. CPAP treatment can effectively reduce both GER and LPR attacks while disordered sleep events reduced in OSA patients.