Metabolic Changes and Inflammation in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Objective: There are different results on low grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We investigated the relation between low grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome in patients with OSA. Methods: This study included 78 OSA patients(AHI ≥5) and 28 control group (AHI <5). Clinical information, body mass index (BMI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale were collected. Nocturnal polysomnography was performed and glucose, insulin, highdensity lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol, triglycerides, CRP were examined in fasting blood samplings. Metabolic syndrome was described according to National Cholesterol Education Program (NAEP) criteria. Metabolic score was calculated by adding the number of discrete components of metabolic syndrome. Results: The components number (2.1±0.9 vs 1.2±0.8, p=0.0001, respectively) and percentage (33.3% vs 7.1%,p=0.009, respectively) of the metabolic syndrome and CRP levels (4.3±4.1 vs 2.6±2.9,p=0.01,respectively) were significantly higher in the patients with OSA than control group. In bivariate analyses, the component number of metabolic syndrome was correlated with the CRP, AHI desaturation index and minimal O2. The component number of metabolic syndrome increased with an increase in AHI and desaturation index in multivariate analysis independently BMI. Conclusion: OSA is associated with metabolic syndrome and low grade inflammation. The severity of the metabolic syndrome increased with an increase in OSA severity. Therapeutic approaches to sleep apnea may decrease cardiovascular risk by decreasing frequency of metabolic syndrome in patients with OSA.