<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>
Adiponectin, secreted by
adipocytes, has been found to be associated with diabetes,
obesity and some
cardiovascular diseases.
Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea
syndrome (
OSAHS) is also closely related to
obesity and easily complicated with diabetes and some
cardiovascular diseases. This study was carried out to explore the change of
serum adiponectin level in
patients with
OSAHS.</p><p><b>
METHODS</b>
Polysomnography was performed in 71
patients with
OSAHS (
OSAHS group) and 26 simple obese controls (
control group). The two groups had no significant difference in age and
body mass index (BMI). Radioimmunoassy was used to test
serum adiponectin level.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>
Serum adiponectin level was significantly lower in
OSAHS group [(5.03 +/- 1.01) mg/L] than that in the
control group [(7.09 +/- 1.29) mg/L, P < 0.05]. The differences between two groups were independent of
gender. In
OSAHS groups,
serum adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with
apnea hypopnea index (AHI) (r = -0.78, P < 0.01), BMI (r = -0.13, P < 0.05),
waist circumference (r = -0.36, P < 0.01), and
neck circumference (r = -0.42, P < 0.01), but positively correlated with the minimal
pulse oxyhemoglobin saturation (r = 0.48, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>
OSAHS may contribute to the decrease of
serum adiponectin level independent of
obesity.</p>