TY - JOUR T1 - Severity of sleep-disordered breathing is an independent predictor of metabolic dysfunction in a population with obstructive sleep apnoea JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 38 IS - Suppl 55 SP - p2226 AU - Brian Kent AU - Deirdre Fitzgerald AU - Audrey Russell AU - Lynda Hayes AU - Geraldine Nolan AU - Walter McNicholas Y1 - 2011/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p2226.abstract N2 - People with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) are at increased risk of insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, obesity is a major confounding factor in studies examining the impact of OSAS on the development of these sequelae. It remains uncertain if sleep-disordered breathing is an independent driver of metabolic dysfunction.We sought to assess the influence of OSAS severity on metabolic health by prospectively studying the fasting lipid & glycaemic profiles of newly diagnosed OSAS patients. Subjects were stratified according to OSAS severity, and lipid profiles were compared between groups. The relationship between OSAS severity and metabolic health was examined using a hierarchical multivariate linear regression model.239 subjects were studied. Those with severe OSAS were more obese, more likely to be male, and younger than those with mild-moderate disease. No significant difference was seen to occur in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, or serum triglycerides with OSAS severity. HDL-cholesterol was lower in subjects with severe OSAS (mild-moderate 1.18 mmol/l vs. severe 1.01 mmol/l; p<0.001). In univariate analysis, HDL level correlated inversely with apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) (r -0.323; p<0.001). This relationship persisted following adjustment for demographic, anthropometric, and other metabolic variables (β -0.152; p=0.043). Interestingly, this relationship was stronger for AHI than for markers of nocturnal oxygenation.OSAS severity is independently associated with dyslipidaemia. Mechanistic studies examining the interaction of OSAS with obesity and adipose tissue function are required. ER -