RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Angiotensin converting enzyme in patients with sleep apnoea syndrome: plasma activity and gene polymorphisms
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 728
OP 732
DO 10.1183/09031936.01.17407280
VO 17
IS 4
A1 A. Barceló
A1 M.A. Elorza
A1 F. Barbé
A1 C. Santos
A1 L.R. Mayoralas
A1 A.G.N. Agustí
YR 2001
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/17/4/728.abstract
AB The prevalence of several cardiovascular diseases is increased with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), due to, as yet, unclear reasons. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) abnormalities have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases. In this study, plasma ACE activity and the distribution of an insertion (I)/deletion (D) polymorphism of the ACE gene were determined in OSAS patients and in healthy controls.A total of 63 patients with OSAS (mean±sem 54.5±2.5 apnoea/hypopnoeas·h-1) and 32 healthy subjects were studied. To avoid potential confounding factors, patients treated with ACE inhibitors or continuous positive airway pressure were excluded, as well as controls in whom a blood sample was not obtained early in the morning. ACE activity was determined spectrophotometrically in 46 OSAS patients and 25 controls. The I/D ACE polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction in 44 patients and 32 controls.ACE activity was higher in OSAS patients (53.9±2.5 IU·L-1) than in healthy controls (42.4±3.1 IU·L-1, p<0.01). This was independent of the presence of arterial hypertension. The frequency distribution of the DD, II and ID genotypes in OSAS patients (30%, 16%, 54%, respectively) was not significantly different from that seen in healthy subjects (31%, 28%, 41%, respectively, p=0.356).These results indicate that ACE plasma activity is increased in untreated OSAS patients. This increased activity may contribute to the pathogenesis of the cardiovascular disease in these patients.This work was supported, in part, by ABEMAR, FUCAP 1995, Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (FIS 96/1718), Academia de Ciencias Médicas de Catalũa y Baleares (1995) and Carburos Metálicos