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Sleep apnea syndrome in endocrine clinics

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Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a chronic condition with a high prevalence (up to 7 % of the general population) characterized by frequent episodes of upper airway collapse while sleeping. Left untreated, OSAS can cause severe complications, including systemic hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and abnormal glucose metabolism. This review aims to summarize the close links between OSAS, endocrinology, and metabolism. In patients with metabolic syndrome, OSAS is an independent risk factor for the onset of type 2 diabetes and a worsening glycemic control. The accumulation of adipose tissue in the neck and limited chest wall dynamics, hypoxia, and local micro-inflammation link visceral obesity closely with OSAS. There is now an abundance of convincing data indicating that promoting lifestyle changes, improving sleep hygiene, and adjusting diet can ameliorate both metabolic syndrome and OSAS, especially in obese patients. The incidence of OSAS in acromegaly is high, though GH treatments seem to be unrelated to the onset of apnea in GH-deficient individuals. Prospective studies have suggested an association between hypertension and OSAS because intermittent nocturnal hypoxia prompts an increase in sympathetic tone, endothelial dysfunction, and vascular inflammation: aldosterone excess may have a pathophysiological role, and some authors have reported that treating OSAS leads to a modest, but significant, reduction in blood pressure.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Prof. O. Bruni for critically revising the manuscript.

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  1. Endocrinology Unit, Department of Medicine DIMED, University-Hospital of Padova, Via Ospedale Civile, 105, 35128, Padua, Italy

    F. Ceccato & C. Scaroni

  2. Dental Clinic, Rome, Italy

    E. Bernkopf

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  1. F. Ceccato
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Ceccato, F., Bernkopf, E. & Scaroni, C. Sleep apnea syndrome in endocrine clinics. J Endocrinol Invest 38, 827–834 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-015-0338-z

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