[A study on non-invasive indexes of atherosclerosis in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome patients].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and atherosclerosis through determining flow-mediated dilation (FMD), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT).


METHODS
FMD, PWV and CIMT were measured in 76 OSAHS patients (68 men/8 women) and 76 control subjects matched for age, sex and body mass index. FMD, PWV and CIMT were compared between the two groups. In the OSAHS group, correlations were calculated between apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and FMD, PWV and CIMT.


RESULTS
Compared to the control group, the OSAHS group had significantly higher PWV [(1,720 +/- 247) cm/s vs (1,469 +/- 172) cm/s, P < 0.01] and CIMT [(1.10 +/- 0.34) mm vs (0.80 +/- 0.18) mm, P < 0.01], but significantly lower FMD [(5.8 +/- 1.7)% vs (8.9 +/- 1.4)%, P < 0.01]. When patients with hypertension from the two groups were compared, PWV [(1,850 +/- 244) cm/s vs (1,655 +/- 161) cm/s, P = 0.001] and CIMT [(1.24 +/- 0.35) mm vs (0.99 +/- 0.18) mm, P = 0.003] were significantly higher, and FMD [(5.2 +/- 1.7)% vs (7.5 +/- 1.1)%, P < 0.01] was significantly lower in the OSAHS group (n = 43) than in the control group (n = 21). In the OSAHS group, AHI was correlated positively with PWV and CIMT (r = 0.883, 0.698, all P < 0.01), but negatively with FMD (r = -0.711, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Vascular endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis are present in OSAHS patients, and related to the severity of OSAHS.
Tian
Jian-li
JL
Department of Gerontology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
Zhang
Yun
Y
Wang
Zheng
Z
Cao
Li
L
Chen
Bao-yuan
BY
D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography