Obstructive sleep apnoea associated with insulin resistance, inflammation and metabolic syndrome independently of body mass index

A total of 98 patients suspected for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) were studied in order to investigate the possible association between OSA severity and insulin resistance, vascular inflammation and the metabolic syndrome. To this end, each patient was categorized by OSA severity and by a metabolic score depending on the number of discrete metabolic syndrome components identified. The metabolic score significantly increased with OSA severity (P=0.004) and correlated independently with apnoea hypopnoea index (AHI) and with body mass index (P=0.001 for both). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein increased with OSA severity (P=0.066) and correlated with AHI (P=0.002). Insulin resistance significantly correlated with AHI (P=0.021). Therefore, inflammation, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome increase with OSA severity and the number of cardinal features of the metabolic syndrome increases with OSA severity, independently of body mass index.

Abstract

Keywords:
BMI - Cardiovascular risk - CRP - HDL-cholesterol - Inflammation - Insulin resistance - Metabolic syndrome - Plasma glucose - Sleep apnoea syndrome - Triglycerides