Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2010 Jun 15;6(3):221-6.

Outcome of CPAP treatment on intimate and sexual relationships in men with obstructive sleep apnea

Judith L Reishtein  1 , Greg Maislin, Terri E Weaver; Multisite Study group
Collaborators, Affiliations

Outcome of CPAP treatment on intimate and sexual relationships in men with obstructive sleep apnea

Judith L Reishtein et al. J Clin Sleep Med. .

Abstract

Study objectives: To examine intimate and sexual relationships in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the association with daytime sleepiness, and the change in these outcomes with continuous positive airway pressure treatment (CPAP).

Design: Pre-post test, quasi-experimental study.

Setting: Seven sleep disorders centers in the U.S. and Canada.

Participants: 123 males with OSA (AHI > or =20), aged 21 to 60 years.

Interventions: Nasal CPAP for > or =3 months.

Measurements and results: Compared to normal values, at baseline patients were significantly sleepier, as measured by the Multiple Sleep Latency Test and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. They were also more impaired in intimate and sexual relationships, as measured by the Intimate and Sexual Relationships subscale of the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire. Neither race nor marital status was significantly associated with impaired intimate and sexual relationships. Following treatment, patients were significantly more alert and had reported improved intimate and sexual relationships, with the greatest change occurring in those with the most disease severity.

Conclusions: OSA has an adverse impact on intimate and sexual relationships that is related to subjective sleepiness and improved with CPAP treatment.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

References

    1. Wilmoth MC, editor. Sexuality in chronic illness: impact and interventions. Boston: Jones and Bartlett; 2002.
    1. Guilleminault C, Eldridge FL, Tilkian A. sleep apnea syndrome due to upper airway obstruction: a review of 25 cases. Arch Intern Med. 1977;137:4. - PubMed
    1. Margel D, Tal R, Livne PM, Pillar G. Predictors of erectile function improvement in obstructive sleep apnea patients with long-term CPAP treatment. Int J Impot Res. 2005;17:186–90. - PubMed
    1. Arruda-Olson AM, Olson LJ, Nehra A, Somers VK. Sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease. Implications for understanding erectile dysfunction. Herz. 2003;28:298–303. - PubMed
    1. Teloken PE, Smith EB, Lodowsky C, Freedom T, Mulhall JP. Defining association between sleep apnea syndrome and erectile dysfunction. Urology. 2006;67:1033–7. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources