PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - J. F. Garvey
AU  - C. T. Taylor
AU  - W. T. McNicholas
TI  - Cardiovascular disease in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome: the role of intermittent hypoxia and inflammation
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.00111208
DP  - 2009 May 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 1195--1205
VI  - 33
IP  - 5
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/33/5/1195.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/33/5/1195.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2009 May 01; 33
AB  - There is increasing evidence that intermittent hypoxia plays a role in the development of cardiovascular risk in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) through the activation of inflammatory pathways. The development of translational models of intermittent hypoxia has allowed investigation of its role in the activation of inflammatory mechanisms and promotion of cardiovascular disease in OSAS. There are noticeable differences in the response to intermittent hypoxia between body tissues but the hypoxia-sensitive transcription factors hypoxia-inducible factor-1 and nuclear factor-κB appear to play a key role in mediating the inflammatory and cardiovascular consequences of OSAS. Expanding our understanding of these pathways, the cross-talk between them and the activation of inflammatory mechanisms by intermittent hypoxia in OSAS will provide new avenues of therapeutic opportunity for the disease. SERIES “THE GENETIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR ASPECTS OF OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNOEA/HYPOPNOEA SYNDROME” Edited by R.L. Riha and W.T. McNicholas Number 4 in this Series