[Effect of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome on arterial stiffness].

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (b-aPWV) in untreated diagnosed patients.

METHODS

This study involved 24 consecutive male patients with newly diagnosed untreated OSAHS (aged 39.13±8.31 years) and 22 normal male individuals (aged 39.59±10.86 years) matched for age and body mass index. Carotid and extremities ultrasound were performed in all the subjects, and none of them had atherosclerosis, arterial calcification, or aneurysm. No subject had a history of hypertension, coronary heart disease or stroke. All the subjects underwent arterial stiffness evaluation by means of b-aPWV measurements.

RESULTS

The b-aPWV in OSAHS patients was significantly higher than that in normal subjects (1346.86±123.48 vs 1237.91±84.46, P<0.01), and the rate of positive b-aPWV in OSAHS patients was significantly higher (13/24 vs 1/22, P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

The value and positive rate of b-aPWV in OSAHS patients are higher than those in normal people, suggesting increased arterial stiffness in OSAHS patients.