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The effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and hypothyroidism to intima-media thickness of carotid artery

  • Sleep Breathing Physiology and Disorders • Original Article
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Abstract

Aim

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common disorder and in subjects with OSAS the prevalence of hypothyroidism is approximately 1.2–11 %. The episodes of hypoxia/reoxygenation associated with the respiratory disturbances observed in subjects with OSAS increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Hypothyroidism; primary or subclinical, has several effects on cardiovascular system. In our study, we investigated carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) which is an early sign of atherosclerosis, in OSAS subjects with hypothyroidism.

Materials and method

Subjects who admitted to Kahramanmaras Necip Fazıl City State Hospital Chest Diseases out-patient clinic between May 2014 and January 2016 for snoring and had polysomnographic evaluation at the sleep laboratory were included in this study. Each subject was evaluated for serum thyroid function tests and carotid artery IMT was measured by a Doppler ultrasound.

Results

Mean carotid artery IMT values in the isolated OSAS, OSAS plus hypothyroidism, and control groups were 0.67 ± 0.12, 0.8 ± 0.12, and 0.54 ± 0.08 mm, respectively; difference between groups was statistically significant (p < .05). A poXsitive correlation was found between thyroid stimulating hormone levels and IMT (r = 0.426, p = .002), while free T3 levels and IMT were negatively correlated (r = −0.463, p = .001). IMT and apnea-hypopnea index were also positively correlated (r = 0.403, p = .003).

Conclusion

We suggest, physicians should be alert for hypothyroidism comorbidity in OSAS, and suspected subjects with OSAS should be screened for hypothyroidism considering the potential cardiovascular complications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chest Diseases, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, School of Medicine, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey

    Fulsen Bozkus

  2. Department of Chest Diseases, Kahramanmaras Necip Fazıl State Hospital, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey

    Nursel Dikmen

  3. Department of Radiology, Kahramanmaras Necip Fazıl State Hospital, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey

    Gülay Güngör

  4. Department of Biostatistics, Akdeniz University, School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey

    Anıl Samur

Authors
  1. Fulsen Bozkus
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  2. Nursel Dikmen
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  3. Gülay Güngör
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  4. Anıl Samur
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Correspondence to Fulsen Bozkus.

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Conflict of interest

All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Bozkus, F., Dikmen, N., Güngör, G. et al. The effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and hypothyroidism to intima-media thickness of carotid artery. Sleep Breath 21, 31–36 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-016-1384-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-016-1384-2

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