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Prolactin secretion during sleep in obstructive sleep apnoea patients
1Laboratoire de Physiologie et de Psychologie Environnmentales, CNRS; Strasbourg, France.
Journal of Sleep Research
|March 1, 1995
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) disrupts prolactin (PRL) release patterns. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment improved sleep and normalized PRL pulse frequency in OSA patients.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Plasma prolactin (PRL) concentration follows a sleep-dependent rhythm.
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to hypoxemia and sleep fragmentation, potentially disrupting the PRL rhythm.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on the sleep-entrained PRL rhythm in OSA patients.
Main Methods:
- Seven OSA patients underwent two nights of polysomnographic recording.
- Plasma PRL was measured every 10 minutes, with secretory rates calculated via deconvolution.
- One night was untreated, the other utilized CPAP therapy.
Main Results:
- CPAP treatment significantly reduced hypoxemia and improved sleep quality.
- PRL secretory pulse amplitude and total nocturnal secretion remained unchanged with CPAP.
- Untreated OSA patients exhibited a lower PRL pulse frequency compared to CPAP-treated patients.
Conclusions:
- Hypoxemia and sleep disturbance in OSA may reduce PRL pulse frequency.
- CPAP treatment normalizes PRL release by restoring pulse frequency in OSA patients.