Effects of CPAP Therapy on PTSD Symptoms

Quality of Life Clinical Trial

Official title: Effects of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea on PTSD Symptoms

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy on symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study hypotheses are that CPAP use will improve PTSD symptoms overall and that CPAP use will improve sleep quality and duration, nocturnal symptoms related to PTSD, mood, daytime sleepiness, sleep-related quality of life, and general health perception.

Clinical Trial Description

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with increased healthcare utilization, decreased functional status, and overall poor health. Sleep disturbances in PTSD are common, including nightmares, dream enactment, and poor sleep quality. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is also highly prevalent in the veteran population and may exacerbate PTSD symptoms by triggering arousals from sleep that promote recollection of dreams, enactment of dreams, and disrupt sleep continuity. Improvements in sleep quality and PTSD symptoms have been reported when OSA is treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. However, formal assessment using validated questionnaires and documentation of CPAP compliance to correlate with these tools has not yet been performed. This study will recruit veterans with PTSD who have been newly diagnosed with OSA and who are willing to try CPAP therapy. Baseline assessments of PTSD symptoms, daytime sleepiness, sleep-related quality of life, sleep quality, general health perception, and mood will be performed before initiation of treatment and after 3 and 6 months of therapy.

This study will have the following specific aims:

Aim 1: To evaluate the effect of CPAP use on PTSD symptoms.

Hypothesis: After 6 months of treatment, CPAP use will improve PTSD symptoms as assessed by the PTSD checklist (PCL-S).

Aim 2: To evaluate the effect of CPAP use on 1)sleep quality and duration, 2)nocturnal symptoms of nightmares, movement disorders, dream enactment, and insomnia, 3)mood, 4)daytime sleepiness, 5)sleep-related quality of life, and 6) general health perception.

Hypothesis: After 6 months of treatment, CPAP use will improve sleep quality, sleep duration, mood, daytime sleepiness, sleep-related quality of life, general health perception, and nocturnal symptoms of nightmares, movement disorders, dream enactment, and insomnia. ;

Study Design

Observational Model: Cohort, Time Perspective: Prospective

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• PTSD
• Quality of Life
• Sleep
• Sleep Apnea Syndromes
• Sleep Apnea, Obstructive

• NCT number: NCT02019914
• Study type: Observational
• Source: Veterans Medical Research Foundation
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: July 2013
• Completion date: June 2015