title: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate may help predict severity of obstructive sleep apnea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have shown a relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), a representative marker for inflammation. We aimed to elucidate the possible association between elevated ESR and OSA severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 341 patients who visited a sleep center were retrospectively enrolled. Subjects underwent physical examination, overnight polysomnography (PSG), and blood sampling for ESR and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). We compared the ESR and hs-CRP level to OSA severity and measured their correlation with other PSG parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ESR was significantly higher in patients with severe OSA (apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 30) than those with simple snoring (AHI < 5; P = 0.016), mild OSA (5 ≤ AHI < 15; P = 0.010), and moderate OSA (15 ≤ AHI < 30; P = 0.042). Similarly, the hs-CRP level in patients with severe OSA was significantly higher than that in patients with simple snoring (P = 0.006) and mild OSA (P = 0.013). Multivariate analysis also showed that elevated ESR was associated with moderate and severe OSA (adjusted OR = 2.231 (P = 0.048) and 2.606 (P = 0.002), respectively) after adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. However, elevated hs-CRP was not associated with the OSA severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESR more closely correlated with PSG parameters recorded during sleep hypoxic episodes than hs-CRP. Moreover, the ESR may be useful to predict the OSA severity because moderate and severe OSA were independently associated with an elevated ESR.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology, National Police Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Woo Hyun
authors: WH
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 300 Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 464-707, South Korea.
authors: Jee Hye
authors: JH
authors: Wee
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 300 Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 464-707, South Korea.
authors: Chae-Seo
authors: CS
authors: Rhee
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors: In-Young
authors: IY
authors: Yoon
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 300 Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 464-707, South Korea. kimemail@naver.com.
authors: Jeong-Whun
authors: JW
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: C-reactive protein; Erythrocyte sedimentation rate; Obstructive sleep apnea; Severity