title: Sleep apnea is related to the atherogenic phenotype, lipoprotein subclass B.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sleep apnea has been implicated as an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD). An association between the severity of sleep apnea and total cholesterol levels has previously been reported. However, the association with small dense low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentration (subclass B), one of the strongest predictors of atherosclerosis, is unknown. We examined the relationship between sleep apnea and LDL subclass B, considering body size.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional observational cohort of participants enrolled in a cardiovascular health study. Sleep apnea was assessed with a validated portable monitor. Lipid panels included total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and LDL subclasses A, B, and A/B. Sleep apnea was analyzed categorically using the apnea hypopnea index (AHI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 519 participants were evaluated. Mean age was 58.7 ± 7.4 years; BMI was 29.6 ± 5.7; 65% were female; 59% were Caucasian, and 37% were African American. Among participants with abnormal waist circumference by ATP III criteria, moderate to severe sleep apnea (AHI ≥ 25) was not independently associated with LDL subclass B. In contrast, among participants with normal waist circumference, moderate to severe sleep apnea was associated with 4.5-fold odds of having LDL subclass B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sleep apnea is independently associated with an atherogenic phenotype (LDL subclass B) in non-obese individuals. The association between sleep apnea and LDL subclass B in those with normal waist circumference may account, in part, for the increased risk of atherosclerosis and subsequent vascular events.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Faith S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Luyster
authors.forename: Kevin E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Kip
authors.forename: Oliver J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Drumheller
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Edmundowicz
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Strollo
mesh_terms: D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010641:Phenotype; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol