RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Continuous positive airway pressure treatment may restore optic nerve function in patients affected by obstructive sleep apnoea JF ERJ Open Research JO erjor FD European Respiratory Society SP P39 DO 10.1183/23120541.sleepandbreathing-2017.P39 VO 3 IS suppl 1 A1 Claudio Liguori A1 Mariangela Pierantozzi A1 Maria Giuseppina Palmieri A1 Francesca Izzi A1 Andrea Romigi A1 Nicola Biagio Mercuri A1 Fabio Placidi YR 2017 UL http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/3/suppl_1/P39.abstract AB Objective Literature proposed the clinical and electrophysiological evidence of optic nerve damage in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate in patients affected by OSA the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on the functional integrity of the visual system evaluated by means of visual evoked potentials (VEP).Methods We performed the electrophysiological study of visual system in a population of 20 severe OSA patients at baseline and after 1-year of CPAP treatments. We divided OSA patients in two subgroups on the basis of the compliance at the CPAP therapy, measured by analyzing the software ventilator report. To be included in the study, OSA patients should not have visual impairment and systemic disorders with known influence on visual system. VEP were elicited by a reversal pattern generated on a television monitor at low (55′) and high (15') spatial frequencies stimulation.Results Ten patients show a good compliance at CPAP therapy (OSA-CPAP+) and 10 patients present an insufficient compliance at CPAP treatment (OSA-CPAP-). We documented the significant amelioration of latency and amplitude of VEP components in OSA-CPAP+ compared to OSA-CPAP-.Discussion Taking into account that OSA patients are affected by VEP alterations as documented by lower amplitude and longer latency of the P100 component, this study documented that CPAP treatment significantly ameliorate VEP in OSA patients who show good compliance at CPAP treatment with respect to OSA patients who did not adequately treat sleep apneas. Therefore, CPAP treatment may restore the altered electrophysiological findings present in OSA patients if appropriately performed.