THURSDAY, March 19, 2026 (HealthDay News) — People suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who also have obstructive sleep apnea (OSAS) experience more significant declines in muscle quality and physical ability compared to those with COPD only, according to a new study published inScientific Reports.
Patrícia Faria Camargo, from the Federal University of Sao Carlos in Sao Paulo, Brazil, along with her colleagues, investigated the relationship between nighttime oxygen desaturation, muscle quality, and functional performance in people with COPD who have or do not have coexisting OSAS. A standardized three-day assessment procedure was carried out with 44 participants (22 with COPD; 22 with COPD-OSAS), which included clinical evaluation, body composition analysis, and pulmonary function testing; cardiac function assessment and home sleep monitoring; and measurements of handgrip strength (HGS) and the six-minute walk test (6MWT).
The scientists discovered that individuals with COPD-OSAS had notably lower 6MWT distances and HGS measurements in comparison to those with isolated COPD. Measures of sleep-disordered breathing demonstrated significant negative correlations with functional performance and muscle quality. In multivariable regression analysis, sex, apnea-hypopnea index, and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) were recognized as independent factors influencing muscle quality; following adjustments, ODI was the most influential factor.
The findings of the study show that the extent of nighttime oxygen drop during sleep is more closely linked to muscle quality and physical performance than the number of breathing interruptions,” Camargo stated. “This implies that repeated episodes of low oxygen levels at night, by affecting tissue oxygen supply, could be a key factor in the decline of muscle mass and function among individuals with COPD and OSAS, potentially via oxidative stress, widespread inflammation, and disruptions in muscle metabolism.
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