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The effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure on vascular functions and serum cardiovascular risk factors in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

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Abstract

Purpose

We investigated whether the nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) could have impacts on impaired vascular functions and serum cardiovascular risk factors in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

Methods

We enrolled 25 OSAS patients of moderate to severe degree. After polysomnography, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were measured. Also, serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, glucose, and insulin were measured. After nCPAP treatment (mean duration, 138.7 ± 42.6 days), these tests were performed again.

Results

The mean apnea hypopnea index prior to nCPAP was 64.9 ± 20.0/h, which decreased to 4.1 ± 2.0/h with nCPAP (p < 0.001). After nCPAP, cfPWV (m/s) decreased from 11.2 ± 4.5 to 9.3 ± 2.1 (p = 0.031), and FMD (%) was improved from 5.52 ± 2.49 to 6.58 ± 2.50 (p = 0.006). Body mass index, serum levels of CRP, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, or glucose did not change after nCPAP. Insulin resistance was not improved either.

Conclusions

The cfPWV and FMD were significantly improved after nCPAP treatment, even though there was no significant change in body weight or serum cardiovascular risk factors. The nCPAP treatment could decrease risks of cardiovascular complications in OSAS patients through improving vascular functions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea

    Seockhoon Chung

  2. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea

    In-Young Yoon

  3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea

    Chul Hee Lee & Jeong-Whun Kim

  4. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 300 Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-707, South Korea

    In-Young Yoon

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  1. Seockhoon Chung
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  2. In-Young Yoon
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  4. Jeong-Whun Kim
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to In-Young Yoon.

Additional information

This work was supported by the Korea Research Foundation Grant funded by the Korean Government (MOEHRD, Basic Research Promotion Fund; KRF-2006-003-E00184).

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Chung, S., Yoon, IY., Lee, C.H. et al. The effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure on vascular functions and serum cardiovascular risk factors in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Sleep Breath 15, 71–76 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-009-0323-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-009-0323-x

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