Changes And Implications Of Plasma Ghrelin Level In Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea-hypopnea Syndrome Associated With Metabolic Syndrome

Objective:The ghrelin levels in subjects were measured to investigate the significance of the ghrelin level in Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS)associated with metabolic syndromes(MS).Methods:Fifty OSAHS patients were enrolled after polysomnography examination and were divided into OSAHS plus MS group and OSAHS group which was further divided into mild,moderate and severe group according to the apnea hypopnea(AHI)respectively.20 healthy males were taken as control group and 20 MS patients without OSAHS as simple MS group.The ghrelin levels were measured in OSAHS group,MS group,OSAHS plus MS group and control group, before and after the continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP)treatment in OSAHS plus MS group respectively,and differences between each two groups were analysed.Furthermore,the sleep architecture of the patients in four groups has been analysed.Results:1.The ghrelin levels in OSAHS group(n=36)[(56.03±4.75)pg/ml],MS group(n=20)[(55.91±5.50)pg/ml],OSAHS plus MS group(n=14)[(52.74±2.68)pg/ml]were significant lower than that of the control group(n=20)[(55.91±5.50)pg/ml]respectively(p＜0.05),but there was no significant difference between the OSAHS group and the MS group as in the subgroups of the OSAHS group(p＞0.05).2.The serum level of ghrelin is related to LSPO₂ positively(r=0.0903,p=0.038). 3.Baseline plasma ghrelin levels in OSAHS plus MS group(n=14) [(52.74±2.68)pg/ml]did not change significantly from the level[(54.34±3.11)pg/ml]after one week of CPAP treatment(p＞0.05).4.The incidence of hypertension in the subgroup of OSAHS group was 14.29% in mild group,25%in moderate group,73.68%in severe group and 85.71%in the OSAHS plus MS group,which was more remarkably high as OSAHS became more severe.5.The stageâ… sleep duration is (25.89±10.31)%in the OSAHS group,(32.19±7.47)%in the OSAHS plus MS group respectively,which is great drecressed in the control group(5.61±1.11)%,in the contrary,the slow wave sleep duration are (11.96±5.75)%in the OSAHS group and(7.24±3.65)%in the OSAHS associated wih MS group respectively,which is significant longer in the control group(31.36±7.34)%.Conclusion:The plasma ghrelin levels in the OSAHS group and the MS group are both lower than that in the control group.Ghrelin may play a role in the development of OSAHS and MS.