Background: The concomitant rise in the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and frailty among the elderly population has been linked to an increase in mortality rates. Despite continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) being the gold standard treatment for OSA, its impact on incident frailty remains inadequately explored.
Methods: In this cohort study, we analyzed data from 1290 patients diagnosed with OSA, aged 60 years and older. A subset of 71 patients who demonstrated high adherence to CPAP therapy were categorized as the CPAP group. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed at a 1:4 ratio, matching for variables such as age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and sleep apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), to establish a non-CPAP group for comparison. The FRAIL scale was utilized to evaluate the frailty status of participants. Logistic regression analysis examined the relationship between CPAP therapy and incident frailty, as well as its individual components, in elderly patients with OSA.
Results: During a median follow-up period of 52 months, incident frailty was observed in 70 patients (19.7%). Patients with OSA receiving CPAP therapy exhibited a lower incidence of frailty compared to those not receiving CPAP (11.26% vs 21.83%, P=0.045). In the multivariate model, CPAP therapy was significantly correlated with a reduced risk of incident frailty (OR = 0.36, 95% CI, 0.15– 0.88; P =  0.025). Subcomponent analyses revealed that CPAP was associated with a lower risk of fatigue (OR=0.35, 95% CI, 0.19– 0.63; P < 0.001), resistance (OR = 0.32, 95% CI, 0.14– 0.74; P=0.008), and weight loss (OR = 0.38, 95% CI, 0.19– 0.75; P = 0.007).
Conclusion: CPAP therapy was associated with a reduced risk of incident frailty among elderly patients with OSA.

Keywords: obstructive sleep apnea, frailty, continuous positive airway pressure, elderly