CPAP for Mild to Moderate Sleep Apnea

A late-breaking abstract (LBA 8) that will be presented at noon Pacific Time as an oral presentation demonstrates that people with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea may experience a clinically relevant and statistically significant improvement in functional status at eight weeks on active continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

The study analyses involved 113 people who were randomized to an active CPAP therapy treatment group, and 110 people who were randomized to a sham treatment group. The adjusted group difference in mean changes from baseline to week eight of treatment was 0.95 points on the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire total score.

You can read the abstract in the final program.

The Genetics of Sleep Duration

A late-breaking abstract (LBA 2) that will be presented later this morning as an oral presentation identified new genes associated with variations in sleep duration. The genome-wide association study involved 2,200 people in Finland; they were characterized for sleep length per night and evaluated for depressive symptoms and variation in mood.

The researchers found several new genes and variants that showed statistically significant association with total sleep length. Analysis also showed that sleep length and seasonal changes in mood share common molecular genes and pathways. This suggests that sleep disturbances and mood disorders may share common genetic components.

You can read the abstract in the final program.