Chest
Original ResearchSleep MedicineTumor Necrosis Factor-α Expression in Uvular Tissues Differs Between Snorers and Apneic Patients
Section snippets
Subjects
Forty consecutive subjects who underwent UPPP for the treatment of OSA or nonapneic snoring were included in the study over a 4-year period. None of the subjects had been previously treated for OSA or snoring at the time of surgery. No subject was receiving therapy with neuroleptics, antidepressants, thyroid hormone, or any medication that affects breathing during sleep. No subjects with diabetes mellitus were included. Reported alcohol consumption went from absent (3 nonapneic subjects, 7
Subject Characteristics
Anthropometric and polysomnographic data of participating subjects are summarized in Table 1. There was a similar number of smokers in each group (three smokers among 14 nonapneic snorers; three smokers among 14 subjects in the OSA 1 group; and three smokers among 12 subjects in the OSA 2 group). The other subjects were nonsmokers or had stopped smoking for > 1 year. According to the selection criteria, patients in OSA 2 group had a significantly higher BMI than subjects in the two other groups
Discussion
We found that TNF-α is more highly expressed in the MU of obese patients and in the perimuscular area of nonapneic snorers. This suggests that in snoring patients with or without sleep apnea, obesity plays a more important role than sleep apnea status in the expression of inflammatory markers in uvula muscular tissue. However, the compartmental expression of TNF-α may also be influenced by sleep apnea status.
For a decade, systemic and UA inflammation has been linked to OSA, and it has been
Acknowledgment
The authors thank Doris Cantin, of the “Banque de tissus de l'Hôpital Laval,” for technical assistance, and Serge Simard for statistical analysis. We also thank the patients for their acceptance to participate in the study, and Dr. Sylvain Saint-Pierre for his collaboration during surgical procedures.
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