Weight loss as a treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea

Obesity is a major health problem in well-developed societies. It is frequently associated with metabolic, cardiovascular and psychological comorbid conditions. Besides, it is know that obesity constitutes a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Weight loss has been evaluated as a treatment for OSA. We reviewed the nature of the link between obesity and OSA as well as the conservative and surgical therapeutic approaches of obesity. We consider the effectiveness of weight loss alone or combined with other modalities of treatment in OSA. We conclude that although weight loss is important and can facilitate the treatment of OSA, it can rarely cure it without being associated to classical techniques, such as nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP). (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.