Effects of treatment by laser-assisted uvuloplasty on sleep energy expenditure in obstructive sleep apnea patients

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of successful laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) on sleep energy expenditure (EE) in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients. Fifteen healthy subjects (group I) and 25 patients with moderately severe or severe OSAS (group II) proven by overnight sleep study and who wanted LAUP were enrolled. During the night of the sleep studies, EE was measured with a metabolic cart (indirect calorimetry with canopy), including basal metabolic rate (BMR), mean sleep EE, lowest sleep EE, ratios of mean sleep EE/BMR, and lowest sleep EE/BMR. For the OSAS patients, a second sleep study with EE measurement was performed 3 months after LAUP. Based on this assessment of their sleep architecture, they were divided into 2 groups: responders (group IIa) and nonresponders (group IIb). The mean sleep EE, the ratio of mean sleep EE/BMR and lowest EE/BMR were significantly higher in group II than group I. After LAUP in group II, 6 patients were found to be responders (group IIa) and 19 patients were nonresponders (group IIb). Group IIa had decreased mean sleep EE, ratios of mean sleep EE/BMR, and lowest sleeping EE/BMR after LAUP than before LAUP compared with no significant changes in group IIb after LAUP. In conclusion, there is increased sleep EE in moderately severe OSAS patients when compared with normal controls. LAUP, when effective in reversing the sleep abnormalities, also normalizes the sleep EE. If it does not adequately treat the OSAS, however, the sleep EE remains abnormal.