title: Reduced levels of adiponectin in sleep apnea syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate adiponectin levels in an obese population with and without obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and the acute modifications in adiponectin after a whole-night control by auto continuous positive air pressure (CPAP).
  
  
  METHODS
  46 obese subjects [22 males, 24 females, age 55.1+/-11.4 yr, body mass index (BMI) 38.9+/-6.5 kg/m2]: 11 OSAS with apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) from 10/h to 30/h, 14 OSAS with AHI >30/h and 21 without OSAS. Thirty-seven normal weight healthy subjects (20 males, 17 females, age 31.3+/-9.5 yr, BMI 21.5+/-1.8 kg/m2). Serum adiponectin levels, biochemical parameters, anthropometric measurements, pulmonary function, pulse-oxymetry and polisomnography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 3 groups of obese patients were comparable for gender, BMI, age, fat mass, fat free mass, hip and waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), systolic and diastolic blood pressure and glycometabolic parameters. Adiponectin levels were significantly reduced in obese patients compared to healthy normal weight subjects (8.1+/-3.5 vs 11.3+/-4.8 microg/ml p<0.001) In particular, adiponectin showed a trend to decrease according to the severity of OSAS. No differences in adiponectin levels were found after a whole-night control by Auto CPAP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OSAS is associated with reduced levels of adiponectin independently of insulin-resistance and BMI. These low adiponectin levels may contribute to the increased mortality seen in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrine Sciences, 20122 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Masserini
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Morpurgo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Donadio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baldessari
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bossi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beck-Peccoz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Orsi
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D017286:Polysomnography; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin