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Association between brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis

  • Sleep Breathing Physiology and Disorders • Review
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Abstract

Purpose

Chronic intermittent hypoxia associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can affect neurons and glial cells, leading to cell stress and damage, and changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. This study investigated the relation between BDNF, OSA, and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) — the standard of care in patients with OSA.

Methods

Five databases were searched for studies that evaluated BDNF serum and/or plasma levels in patients with OSA and controls or publications assessing the effect of CPAP treatment on BDNF levels. We used standardized mean difference (SMD) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) comparison between patients with OSA and controls.

Results

Ten studies were included in our study assessing the relation between BDNF levels, OSA, and CPAP treatment. Five studies of BDNF levels in OSA compared to controls showed no significant difference (SMD =  − 0.52, 95% CI [− 1.93; 0.89], p-value = 0.47). No statistically significant difference was found between CPAP treatment in patients with OSA and BDNF levels (SMD =  − 0.78, 95% CI [− 1.77; 0.21], p-value = 0.12).

Conclusion

BDNF peripheral levels are not significantly altered in OSA or by its related treatment, preventing its use as a biomarker.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Amirmohammad Khalaji, Amir Hossein Behnoush, and Parnian Shobeiri contributed equally.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Children’s Medical Center Hospital, Dr. Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd, Tehran, 14194, Iran

    Amirmohammad Khalaji, Amir Hossein Behnoush, Parnian Shobeiri & Behrad Saeedian

  2. Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran

    Amirmohammad Khalaji, Amir Hossein Behnoush, Parnian Shobeiri, Behrad Saeedian & Nima Rezaei

  3. Non–Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Amirmohammad Khalaji, Amir Hossein Behnoush & Parnian Shobeiri

  4. Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Pediatrics Center of Excellence, Children’s Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Gharib St, Keshavarz Blvd, Tehran, Iran

    Parnian Shobeiri & Nima Rezaei

  5. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, Neuropsychiatry Program, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Antonio L. Teixeira

  6. Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Nima Rezaei

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  1. Amirmohammad Khalaji
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Contributions

AK and AHB: study design, drafting of the manuscript, analysis, and data interpretation; PS: drafting of the manuscript and revision; BS: drafting of the manuscript; ALT: drafting of the manuscript and critical revision; NR: study design and critical revision.

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Correspondence to Nima Rezaei.

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Khalaji, A., Behnoush, A.H., Shobeiri, P. et al. Association between brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Breath 27, 829–841 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-022-02707-x

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