Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure after Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) as well as the recurrence of AF after rhythm control strategy. However, the data on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and recurrent AF after catheter ablation with pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) remain unclear. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of CPAP treatment in OSA patients after atrial fibrillation ablation. Methods: We searched MEDLINE and Embase databases from inception to September 2023 to identify studies that assess the effect of CPAP in OSA patients on the recurrence of AF after PVI. Data from each study were combined using the random effects model. Results: Eight studies (one randomized controlled trial and seven cohort studies) with 1487 OSA patients (660 in the CPAP group and 827 in the control group) were included. The use of CPAP in OSA patients was associated with significantly lower AF recurrence after PVI (odds ratio (OR) = 0.36, 95% conference interval (CI) 0.25–0.53, p < 0.001). The results of sensitivity analysis remain the same as the main analysis. Conclusions: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that CPAP treatment was associated with lower rates of AF recurrence after PVI.