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Original article
High-intensity interval training improves obstructive sleep apnoea
  1. Trine Karlsen1,2⇑,
  2. Bjarne Martens Nes1,
  3. Arnt Erik Tjønna1,
  4. Morten Engstrøm3,4,
  5. Asbjørn Støylen5,6,
  6. Sigurd Steinshamn1,7
  1. 1 K.G. Jebsen Center of Exercise in Medicine, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
  2. 2 St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
  3. 3 Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
  4. 4 Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
  5. 5 Department of Cardiology, St. Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
  6. 6 Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
  7. 7 Department of Thoracic Medicine, St. Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
  1. Correspondence to Trine Karlsen; Trine.karlsen{at}ntnu.no

Abstract

Background Three hours per week of vigorous physical activity is found to be associated with reduced odds of sleep-disordered breathing.

Aim To investigate whether 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) reduced the apnoea–hypopnea index (AHI) in obese subjects with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnoea.

Methods In a prospective randomised controlled exercise study, 30 (body mass index 37±6 kg/m2, age 51±9 years) patients with sleep apnoea (AHI 41.5±25.3 events/hour) were randomised 1:1 to control or 12 weeks of supervised HIIT (4×4 min of treadmill running or walking at 90%–95% of maximal heart rate two times per week).

Results In the HIIT group, the AHI was reduced by 7.5±11.6 events/hour (within-group p<0.05), self-reported sleepiness (Epworth scale) improved from 10.0±3.6 to 7.3±3.7 (between-group p<0.05) and maximal oxygen uptake improved from 28.2±7.4 to 30.2±7.7 mL/kg/min (between-group p<0.05) from baseline to 12 weeks. The AHI, self-reported sleepiness and VO2maxwere unchanged from baseline to 12 weeks in controls (baseline AHI 50.3±25.5 events/hour, Epworth score 5.9±4.3, maximal oxygen uptake 27.0±6.8 mL/kg/min). Body weight remained unchanged in both groups.

Conclusion Twelve weeks of HIIT improved the AHI and self-reported daytime sleepiness in subjects with obese sleep apnoea without any change in the desaturation index and body weight.

  • OSA
  • HIIT
  • daytime sleepiness
  • CVD risk
  • endurance exercise
  • VO2max

This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2016-000155

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