Correlation Between Serum HIF-1α,EPO Levels And Cognition In Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome

Objective:To investigate the correlations of serum hypoxia inducible factor 1α（HIF-1α）and serum erythropoietin（EPO）levels with cognitive function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome（OSAHS）.Methods:Sixty patients with OSAHS and twenty controls were recruited.HIF-1αand EPO levels were determined by ELISA.Cognitive function was measured by the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly（IQCODE）.The correlation between serum HIF-1α,EPO levels and cognitive function was analyzed.Results:1.The serum levels of HIF-1αand EPO in the OSAHS patients were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group,The heavier the degree of OSAHS,the higher the level of HIF-1αand EPO,suggesting that the hypoxic stress process leads to an increase in HIF-1αand EPO levels.2.The IQCODE scores of patients with severe and moderate OSAHS were higher than those of the mild and normal groups,suggesting that OSAHS patients had certain cognitive impairment compared with normal subjects.3.The levels of HIF-1αand EPO were positively correlated with the total score of IQCODE(r_HIF-1α=0.49,r_EPO=0.58,P<0.001),suggesting that the severity of cognitive dysfunction in OSAHS patients is related to the levels of HIF-1αand EPO.Serum HIF-1αand EPO levels may be biochemical indicators for identifying the degree of cognitive impairment in OSAHS patients.Conclusion:Cognitive impairment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome is related to the severity of the disease.Elevated levels of serum HIF-1αand EPO in patients have a correlation with cognitive decline,these two factors may be involved in the pathophysiological process of cognitive impairment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome.