Obstructive sleep apnoea and continuous positive airway pressure therapy for patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: abridged secondary publication
DSC Hui1, SSS Ng1, GLH Wong1, WCW Chu2, A Chan3, VWS Wong1
1 Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
2 Department of Imaging & Interventional Radiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
3 Department of Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
 
 
1. Of 226 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who underwent home sleep test, 222 had evidence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) with respiratory event index (REI) of ≥5/hour.
2. Both therapeutic and subtherapeutic continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) had similar effects on non-invasive markers of liver fat, steatosis, and fibrosis after 6 months of treatment. Percentage change in weight after 6 months correlated with the change in transient elastography controlled attenuation parameter, which is a marker of liver fat (B=3.249, SE=0.873, 95% Wald CI=1.538-4.960, P<0.001).
3. CPAP alone is unlikely to alter NAFLD activities in patients with concomitant OSA. The additional role of weight reduction through lifestyle modification deserves further investigation.