title: Flow-mediated dilatation identifies impaired endothelial function in patients with sleep apnea syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Non-invasive detection of vascular dysfunction in the early stage is clinically important in patients with sleep apnea syndrome (SAS). Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) is a novel clinical marker of endothelial function. However, it is not clear whether this is useful in the SAS patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  Echocardiographic parameters and FMD were measured in 129 patients with SAS. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was defined by polygraphy, and patients were divided into the two Groups: Group A (moderate-severe SAS: AHI≥ 15 times/hr, n=93) and Group B (mild SAS: AHI 5-15 times/hr, n=36).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in echocardiographic parameters between the two groups. However, FMD was significantly lower in Group A than in Group B (3.5±1.6 vs. 7.8±3.1, P< 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although cardiac function was not different, vascular dysfunction was evident in patients with moderate-severe SAS. FMD is a useful tool to identify impaired endothelial function non-invasively in patients with SAS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Hematology, Fukushima Medical University, Japan. yoshihis@fmu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akiomi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshihisa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Owada
authors.forename: Yasuto
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyata
authors.forename: Tomofumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Misaka
authors.forename: Takamasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kunii
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakazato
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Shu-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saitoh
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Yasuchika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeishi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014664:Vasodilation