Here are five things to know from the study:
1. Data from patients who underwent elective heart surgery between July 2023 and July 2024 were analyzed. Patients were divided into an OSA group and a control group. Patients in both groups were managed with the same sedatives, muscle relaxants and other drugs. A total of 1,916 patients were scanned and 1,218 patients were included in the analysis — 392 in the OSA group and 826 in the control group.
2. Patient outcome was measured by the QoR-15 global score, which refers to the Quality of Recovery-15 questionnaire, an outcome metric to assess the quality of recovery after surgery and anesthesia. A higher score signifies a better quality of recovery.
3. The proportion of patients who recovered well at 24 hours was 75% in the OSA group and 49.39% in the control group, defined by an ability to breathe easily, enjoy meals, maintain personal hygiene, interact with family and friends, resume work or home activities and manage severe pain, among other factors.
4. Older patients benefited more than younger patients from OSA with improved QoR-15 scores 24 hours after surgery and lower opioid metabolism rates, leading to lower opioid use overall.
5. The study notes that further large sample studies and randomized controlled trials are necessary to validate the findings, but shows early promise that OSA can improve early postoperative recovery from cardiac surgery.
