Abstract
Introduction: Our hypothesis is that systemic inflammation and endothelial vascular dysfunction in OSA patients are associated. Therefore our primary objective was to be able to establish the etiological association between them.
Materials and methods: Observational case control study in OSA patients and healthy individuals. All of them were tested for serum and urinary markers. Peripheral arterial tonometry by oscillometric sphygmomanometer (ENDO-PAT 2000) was used to measure endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness values (Reactive Hyperemia Index-RHI and Augmentation Index-AI).
Results: This study involved 42 participants (30 with OSA and 12 healthy controls). Mean age: OSA 61,7, controls 50,4 (p =0,02). Mean BMI: OSA 31,8, controls 26,1 (p= 0,01). The OSA severity rate was severe in 54%, low-moderate in 11, 9% and low in 11, 9% of them. The results for the serum and urinary markers (Mann-Whitney test) comparison with median and quartiles were the following: CRP (OSA 0,5 controls 0,3, p=0,15), leucocytes (OSA 7500, controls 6700, p= 0,18), D-dimer (OSA 339, controls 252, p= 0,18), fibrinogen (OSA 401, controls 318, p= 0,0007) and microalbuminuria (OSA 7,6, controls 4,7, p= 0,12). No statistically significant differences in arterial stiffness (IA, OSA 19, controls 13,5 p= 0,3) neither in vascular endothelial dysfunction (IRH, OSA 1,50 control 1,72 p= 0,2) were found, although its value was lower than what is considered significant for endothelial dysfunction (<1,67).
Conclusions: An association between OSA and cardiovascular risk can be established by measuring the inflammatory marker fibrinogen, and by taking into consideration the data that suggest that endothelial dysfunction may be present.
- © 2011 ERS
