Alterations in Serum Adropin, Adiponectin, and Proinflammatory Cytokine Levels in OSAS.

Objective: The present study was planned to examine the relationships between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and the newly revealed adipokines adropin and adiponectin concentrations that display significant metabolic and cardiovascular functions and the levels of proinflammatory cytokine levels. Method: A total of 166 overweight and obese male patients with a body mass index (BMI) >27 kg/m2 were included in the study. Among study participants, 84 were recently diagnosed with OSAS by polysomnography with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥5, and 82 were nonapneic with normal polysomnography (AHI<5) findings. The serum adropin and adiponectin levels of all cases were analyzed via the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Serum interleukin-1 (IL-1) beta and tumor necrotizing factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels were determined using Luminex cytokine multiplex analyses. Results: The mean age of the OSAS patients was 50.9 ± 5.7 years and BMI was 32.4 ± 6.0 kg/m2, and there was no statistically significant difference determined with the control group (49.3 ± 5.8 years and 30.6 ± 5, 6 kg/m2) (p > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the OSAS and control groups concerning total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and glucose levels. Adiponectin was lower in the OSAS group at a statistically significant level in comparison with the control group and was related at a statistically significant level to OSAS intensity. Adropin concentration was determined to be higher in the OSAS group at a statistically significant level in comparison with the control group. Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that increased adropin concentration may be an indicator of endothelium dysfunction in OSAS patients. Serum adropin and adiponectin levels may be new bioindicators used for diagnosis and risk assessment in OSAS patients.

Association of presence and severity of obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome with accident risk in city bus drivers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between frequency of traffic accidents and presence and severity of the disease in bus drivers who are at risk of having obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). METHODS: In the present study, polysomnography (PSG) was applied on 162 city bus drivers directed to the sleep laboratory from a total of 1450 drivers after being determined as risky with regard to OSAS symptoms according to the questionnaire results. Their demographic characteristics, health status and accidents were compiled. Statistical analyses were made for those diagnosed with OSAS according to the PSG result and those with a traffic accident after which comparisons were made. RESULTS: Obstructive sleep syndrome was detected in 127 out of the 162 drivers determined to be risky with regard to OSAS based on the Berlin questionnaire result. While 50 (35%) of the drivers were normal according to the polysomnography (PSG) results in the study, 39 (24.1%) were determined as light OSAS, 35 (21.6%) as moderate OSAS and 53 (32.7%) as severe OSAS. While 105 (64.8%) of the cases had no accident, 37 (22.8%) were almost involved in an accident due to sleepiness and 20 (12.3%) were actually involved in an accident. A statistically significant relationship was determined between accident rates and OSAS severity (p:0.009; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that presence and increased severity of OSAS is an important risk factor for being almost or directly involved in an accident among city bus drivers, even though they were not driving for long distances.