title: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and fatty liver: association or causal link?
abstract: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a complex disorder that consists of upper airway obstruction, chronic intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation. OSA is well known to be associated with hypoxia, insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, and these factors can occur in the presence or absence of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Although it is well established that insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and obesity occur frequently with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), it is now becoming apparent that hypoxia might also be important in the development of NAFLD, and it is recognized that there is increased risk of NAFLD with OSA. This review discusses the association between OSA, NAFLD and cardiovascular disease, and describes the potential role of hypoxia in the development of NAFLD with OSA.
authors.forename: Mohamed-H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Christopher-D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Byrne
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000150:complications*; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D014157:Transcription Factors
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