title: Improvement of baroreflex sensitivity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea following surgical treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Depressed baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) have been reported in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This study aimed to determine if surgery can improve the clinical outcomes by investigating changes in BRS and in other cardiovascular autonomic parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-one OSA patients were enrolled. They were classified as mild OSA if their apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 5-15, moderate OSA if their AHI was 15-30, and sever OSA if their AHI was >30. Twenty-three subjects with AHI<5 were recruited as controls. For patients who received surgery, polysomnography (PSG) and autonomic tests were evaluated upon enrollment and six-months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient number for mild, moderate, and severe OSA was 22, 22, and 37, respectively. BRS on enrollment showed significant difference among the four groups, with the highest BRS in the control group, follow by the mild, moderate, and severe OSA groups. There were significant correlations between BRS and all PSG parameters. The depressed BRS significantly improved after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical modifications of the upper airways can improve the depressed BRS in OSA patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study offers the promise that surgical treatment for OSA not only improves the index of PSG, but also reduces the possibility of cardiovascular risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Che
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiu-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Bronchoesophagology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Sleep Center, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Meng-Chih
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Sleep Center, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: hclin@adm.cgmh.org.tw.
authors.forename: Hsin-Ching
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Biological Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, Xiamen Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Xiamen, Fujian, China. Electronic address: chlu99@pchome.com.tw.
authors.forename: Cheng-Hsien
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000639:trends*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Autonomic function; Baroreflex sensitivity; OSA surgery; Obstructive sleep apnea; Palato-pharyngoplasty