RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Relationship between obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) and the levels of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in patients with acute stroke JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP p2242 VO 38 IS Suppl 55 A1 Anna Mola A1 Ana Mª Fortuna A1 Rosa Mª Miralda A1 Raquel Delgado A1 Joan Martí A1 Javier Crespo A1 Mercedes Mayos YR 2011 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p2242.abstract AB OSAS is a cardiovascular risk factor that has a high prevalence in patients with stroke. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) are an endogenous repair mechanism of endothelium, which could be altered in OSA and contribute to endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this prospective study is to assess the relationship of OSAS and circulating EPC levels in acute stroke patients. The patients underwent a respiratory polygraphic (RP) evaluation on the 7th day of stroke (acute phase). EPC were measured by flow cytometry at inclusion and were repeated at the 7th day. EPC were considered those that were positive for three markers: CD34, CD133 and KDR (VEGF receptor). 42 of 52 patients were included (age 69±12.5 years, 54.8% male, BMI 27±4 kg/m2, Epworth 7±3.6). OSA prevalence in the acute phase of stroke was 54.76% (AHI>20) and 35.71% (AHI>30) with a predominant hypopnoea pattern. Significant differences between EPC levels on inclusion and on the 7th day (0.0004762% ± 0.00175636 vs 0.0034857% ± 0.0061183 (p=0.005) were found. There were no differences between non-OSAS patients and the group with AHI>10, except for age 59,73±15,58 vs 72,61±9,41 (p = 0,013). Patients with AHI>10 had lower EPC baseline levels but the analysis showed no significant differences compared to non-OSA patients. Neither AIH nor EPC values were significantly associated with neurological variables in acute stroke. The results suggest that EPC show a peak on the 7th day of acute stroke, which can express the endothelial repair capacity of the organism. OSA patients showed a lower baseline EPC values but failed to demonstrate significant differences regarding non-OSA population.