Experimental studies on the association between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and aortic disease in healthy volunteers
| First author [ref.] | Year | Subjects n | Outcome measures | Results |
| Stöwhas [62] | 2011 | 20 | Thoracic aortic diameter during simulated OSA measured via ultrasonography | Simulated hypopnoea increases proximal aortic diameter by +6.5% (se 3.03, p=0.007) and reduces blood pressure in the aortic root by −10.5 mmHg (se 2.2 mmHg, p<0.001); blood pressure also increased significantly on release of simulated OSA |
| Clarenbach [63] | 2013 | 10 | Thoracic aortic transmural pressure (aortic mean blood pressure minus oesophageal pressure) during simulated OSA | Simulated obstructive apnoea induced median +16.3 mmHg (IQR 12.8–19.4 mmHg; p=0.02) extra aortic dilatory force because intra-aortic pressures fall less than oesophageal pressures |
| Rammohan [64] | 2014 | 6 | Thoracic aortic area during simulated OSA measured via ultrasonography | Simulated obstructive apnoea increases aortic area by a mean±sd of +0.43±0.08 cm2 (p=0.002) |
IQR: interquartile range.