title: Association of sleep apnea with coronary slow-flow phenomenon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and coronary slow-flow phenomenon (CSFP) are known to share similar etiopathogenic mechanisms, such as chronic sympathetic activation, upregulation of inflammatory pathways, oxidative stress and, finally, endothelial dysfunction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated whether there is an association between OSA and coronary flow rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all patients who underwent diagnostic nocturnal polysomnography for suspected OSA. Those who had coronary angiography performed within the same year of polysomnography were divided into two main groups: those with (group 1) and without (group 2) OSA; also, angiographic coronary TIMI (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction) frame counts (TFC) were compared between the groups. Patients with coronary arterial stenosis and angiograms with inadequate filling of the coronary arteries or visualization of the distal landmarks for frame counting were excluded from the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant difference between the groups regarding TFCs. We found a significant positive correlation between mean TFC and apnea-hypopnea index (r=0.611, P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study demonstrated that sleep apnea impairs coronary flow rates and is associated with CSFP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Acibadem University, Eskisehir, Turkey. ozcanozeke@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ozcan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozeke
authors.forename: Mutlu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gungor
authors.forename: Cagatay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ertan
authors.forename: Atac
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Ozcan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erturk
authors.forename: Serap B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Hizel
authors.forename: Fuat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozgen
authors.forename: Ahmet D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozer
mesh_terms: D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054318:No-Reflow Phenomenon / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017286:Polysomnography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology*