The Role of Weight Management as First-line Treatment Modality in Obstructive Sleep Apnea of Obese Patients

Abstract

Aim: Weight loss has been shown to improve obstructive sleep apnea and is considered the first choice of treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the weight-management strategies and the relationship between the weight loss and obstructive sleep apnea on obese patients. Methods: A prospective study was applied on consecutive 50 patients with obstructive sleep apnea whose body mass indexes over 25. The first part of questionnaire form and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores was applied to patients by face to face interviews at first visit between November 2017 and May 2018. All of the patients who applied to the snoring policlinic were offered weight loss. The second part of questionnaire form and Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores was applied to patients after 3 months later and the weights 3 months after weight loss recommendation were also recorded. For the statistical analysis, SPSS 15.0 program was used. Results: All patients were offered to lose weight. 26% of them had only diet; 12% had only exercise and 12% had both diet and exercise. 50% of the patients did nothing to lose weight. 76.9% of the dieters; 100% of the exercisers and 83.3% of those who did diet and exercise, lost weight. There was a statistically significant difference between beginning and control (after 3 months) body mass indexes and Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores of the patients. Conclusion: When weight loss is considered as the patient's attempt, along with the pursuance and maintenance, its compliance is high. Although the number of sample in our study was not suitable for generalization, we confirmed that weight loss had a positive effect on obstructive sleep apnea. Keywords: sleep apnea syndromes, weight loss, obesity