Obstructive sleep apnea, CPAP, and COVID-19 (Vitamin D can probably help) – Review

Created February 2021

A systematic review of COVID-19 and obstructive sleep apnoea

Sleep Med Rev. 2021 Feb; 55: online 2020 Sep 8. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101382

Michelle A. Millera,∗ and Francesco P. Cappuccioa,b

{include} * Poor sleep associated with low vitamin D (again) – July 2017 * The Better Sleep Vitamin (Vitamin D) – nice 3 dollar book Feb 2015 * CDC listed health problems at increased risk of COVID-19 (all are associated with low Vitamin D) - Dec 1, 2020 Items in both categories Sleep and Virus are listed here: {category} Items in both categories Diabetes and Virus are listed here: {category} Items in both categories Hypertension and Virus are listed here: {category}

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The aims of the study were to review the rapidly emerging COVID-19 literature to determine 1) the relationship between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and adverse COVID-19 outcomes and, 2) potential causal mechanisms 3) what effect COVID-19 has had on OSA diagnosis and 4) what effect COVID-19 has had on treatment and management of OSA during this period. PubMed was systematically searched up to 020620. Studies were included if they had examined the relationship between COVID-19 and OSA. Studies were included that were in English and had the full text available.

The findings from this study suggest that many of the risk factors and co-morbidities associated for OSA which include

  • obesity,

  • hypertension and

  • diabetes mellitus

are associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes. There are plausible mechanisms by which OSA may independently increase one's risk of morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 and data from the newly published CORONADO study suggests that OSA treated patients may be at increased risk of death from COVID-19. It is clear that the pandemic has had a major effect on the treatment management and diagnosis of OSA and moving forward it may be necessary to explore new diagnosis and treatment pathways for these individuals.

Tags: Sleep Virus