Table 1 Main characteristics and functional variables of study subjects
Controls(n = 6)Patients with OSAS before treatment(n = 12)Patients with OSAS after treatment(n = 12)
Age (years)43.5 (13)43 (10)43 (11)
BMI (kg/m2)33.9 (6.2)35.9 (8)34.3 (6)
AHI (events/h)4 (1.5)78 (41.2)***3 (3.8)†††
Mean Sao2 (%)95 (3.5)85 (7.5)***94 (4)†††
Nadir Sao2 (%)92 (5)70 (26.5)***88 (5)†††
Time Sao2 <90% (%)1 (3.5)74 (22.5)***1 (15)†††
CPAP (cm H2O)9 (3.5)
CPAP time (h)5 (1.2)
ESS score5.5 (5.2)16 (5.5)***9.5 (7.2)†††
FEV1 (% pred)93 (28)95 (11)99 (12)
FVC (% pred)93 (24)111 (20)111 (15)
FEV1/FVC (%)80 (6)75 (7)73 (3)
FRC (% pred)NA87 (19)96 (20)
Tlco (% pred)NA118 (36)125 (41)
Pao2 (mm Hg)74 (8)74 (15)78 (12)
Paco2 (mm Hg)40.1 (5)41.5 (3.1)39.6 (2.9)
MIP (% pred)N.A.91 (21)108 (33)
Tlim (min)9.5 (1.6)3.2 (4.3)***2.1 (0.2)
Handgrip, (% pred)NA115 (69)131 (72)
6-min walking distance (% pred)NA92 (13)90 (19)
Type I fibres (%)48 (11)57 (15)*41 (27)††
Type II fibres (%)52 (11)43 (15)*59 (27)††
Type I fibre area (μm2)1813 (1018)2206 (585)1970 (266)
Type II fibre area (μm2)2219 (1005)2206 (1079)2463 (633)
  • Data are presented as median (interquartile range).

  • BMI, body mass index; Sao2, arterial oxygen saturation; CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; ESS, Epworth Sleepiness scale; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; pred, predicted; FVC, forced vital capacity; FRC, functional residual capacity (as expressed by intrathoracic gas volume); Tlco, carbon monoxide transfer factor; MIP, maximal inspiratory pressure, Tlim, endurance time.

  • *p⩽0.05, **p⩽0.01, ***p⩽0.001 control subjects vs OSAS patients before treatment.

  • †p⩽0.05, ††p⩽0.01, †††p⩽0.001 OSAS patients before vs after treatment.