Effect of CPAP on blood glucose fluctuation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and obstructive sleep apnea

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on blood glucose fluctuation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods Patients with T2DM and OSA were divided into an intervention group and a control group. All patients were treatment naive. The intervention group was given CPAP therapy. The subjects were monitored using a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) for 2 weeks. Results Of 60 patients, 30 were selected to receive CPAP intervention while 30 without CPAP served as controls. The CPAP tolerance of the intervention group was good, with average time on CPAP therapy of 55.2 +/- 4.3 days, and average daily time on CPAP therapy of 8.3 +/- 2.8 h. The postprandial blood glucose (PBG), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and HbA1c levels in the intervention group decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Significant variations in 24-h mean blood glucose and night-time mean blood glucose were significantly lower with CPAP therapy than without therapy (P < 0.05, respectively). The mean of daily differences and mean ambulatory glucose excursions were both considerably lower with treatment than without (P < 0.05, respectively). There was also a significant difference in time in range and time above range (P < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion CPAP treatment may significantly improve the blood glucose level and blood glucose stability in patients with T2DM and OSA. CPAP is an effective treatment method beyond lifestyle intervention and drug therapy.