title: Serum Thymosin β4 Concentrations in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inflammation is a potential mechanism of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Thymosin β4, a member of thymic protein family, exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect. We determine to investigate whether serum thymosin β4 concentrations is correlated with the occurrence and disease severity of OSAS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum thymosin β4 concentrations were examined in a cross-sectional population including 158 patients with OSAS and 94 healthy subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated serum thymosin β4 concentrations were found in OSAS patients than the controls. Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated a significant association between serum thymosin β4 concentrations and OSAS development. Severe OSAS patients showed increased serum thymosin β4 concentrations compared with mild and moderate patients. Spearman correlation analysis suggested that serum thymosin β4 concentrations were correlated with the severity of OSAS. Simple linear regression analyses showed that serum thymosin β4 in OSAS patients was correlated with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, apnea hypopnea index, disease severity, and osteoarthritis development. Then multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that only disease severity remained to be associated with serum thymosin β4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum thymosin β4 concentrations were correlated with the occurrence and severity of OSAS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College, Weifang, Shandong, PR China.
authors.forename: Yongquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College, Weifang, Shandong, PR China. mjuanl@126.com.
authors.forename: Meijuan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College, Weifang, Shandong, PR China.
authors.forename: Youkui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College, Weifang, Shandong, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000097:blood*; D013947:Thymosin / Q000097:blood*; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4)
chemical_list: D013947:Thymosin; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4)
keywords: inflammation; obstructive sleep apnea syndrome; thymosin β4