Diurnal variability of C-reactive protein in obstructive sleep apnea.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study is to examine the diurnal variability of C-reactive protein (CRP) in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).


METHODS
Participants included 44 women and men with untreated OSA (mean apnea/hypopnea index = 37.5, SD +/- 28) and 23 healthy adults with no OSA. Sleep was monitored with polysomnography in the University of California San Diego General Clinical Research Center. Over a 24-h period, blood was collected every 2 h, and CRP levels were determined.


RESULTS
Adjusting for age, gender, and body mass index, a significant group by time interaction showed that patients with OSA had higher CRP levels during the daytime (8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.) versus the nighttime (10:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.; p < 0.001). Non-apneics showed no significant change in CRP levels during the 24 h.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings indicate that sleep apnea patients have disproportionately elevated CRP levels in the day versus the nighttime, possibly as a result of carryover effects of nighttime arousal into the daytime.
Mills
Paul J
PJ
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, 92093-0804, USA. pmills@ucsd.edu
Natarajan
Loki
L
von Känel
Roland
R
Ancoli-Israel
Sonia
S
Dimsdale
Joel E
JE
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000276:immunology*
D002097:C-Reactive Protein