title: Association between Plaque Score of the Carotid Artery and the Severity of Sleep Apnea Syndrome in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) has been associated with hypertension, cardiovascular disease and death. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have higher rates of SAS, atherosclerotic complications and death than do patients without CKD. Although the relationship between SAS and atherosclerosis is well known, few papers have described this relationship in humans, especially in CKD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study of 110 clinically stable, non-dialysis patients with CKD who attended a CKD educational program from April 2014 to September 2015. The diagnosis of SAS and its severity were assessed using a type 3 portable monitor. Other atherosclerosis-related data were obtained from the patients' medical records in order to determine the factors associated with the severity of SAS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  95 men and 15 women with a mean age of 71.4 ± 9.9 years were included in the study. The patients' mean body mass index was 24.0 ± 3.9, their mean blood pressure 134.3 ± 21.2/73.6 ± 13.4 mm Hg and their mean estimated glomerular filtration rate 19.8 ± 9.5 ml/min/1.7 m(2). Adjusted plaque score was a significant predictor of severe SAS (odds ratio = 1.13, p = 0.0182). Mixed plaque was significantly associated with severe SAS (correlation ratio = 0.48, p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many patients with CKD also have SAS. Our findings demonstrate the relationship between plaque score and the severity of SAS.
authors.affiliation: Kidney Disease Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.affiliation: Kidney Disease Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Kidney Disease Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Daijo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inaguma
authors.affiliation: Kidney Disease Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Eri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: Kidney Disease Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kamegai
authors.affiliation: Kidney Disease Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Kidney Disease Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Minami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mizutani
authors.affiliation: Kidney Disease Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimogushi
authors.affiliation: Kidney Disease Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Hibiki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shinjo
authors.affiliation: Kidney Disease Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.affiliation: Kidney Disease Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Asami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takeda
keywords: Apnea-hypopnea index; Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular disease; Chronic kidney disease; Estimated glomerular filtration rate; Plaque score; Sleep apnea syndrome; Systolic function