[Serum adiponectin levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome]

To explore the changes of serum adiponectin levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Polysomnography was performed in 71 obese OSAHS patients (obese OSAHS group), 21 OSAHS patients without obesity (non-obese OSAHS group), 26 obese controls (obese group) and 22 normal healthy adults (control group). In both the obese OSAHS group and obese group, the body mass index (BMI) was higher than 25 and there was no significant difference in BMI. Serum adiponectin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay.

The serum adiponectin level in the control group [(8.9 +/- 0.6) mg/L] was significantly higher than those in the obese group [(7.1 +/- 1.3) mg/L, P < 0.05], the non-obese OSAHS group [(5.4 +/- 0.6) mg/L, P < 0.01] and the obese OSAHS group [(5.0 +/- 1.0) mg/L, P < 0.01] respectively. The serum adiponectin level was significantly lower in both the obese OSAHS group and the non-obese OSAHS group (all P < 0.05). The serum adiponectin levels between the obese OSAHS group and the non-obese OSAHS group showed no statistical difference (P > 0.05). In the obese OSAHS patients and the obese patients serum adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with AHI (r = -0.78, P < 0.01), BMI (r = -0.21, P < 0.05), waist circumference (r = -0.36, P < 0.01), and neck circumference (r = -0.42, P < 0.01), but positively correlated with minimal pulse oxygen saturation (r = 0.48, P < 0.01).

Serum adiponectin levels were significantly lower in OSAHS patients than in the normal control and the obese patients. In addition to increased waist and neck circumferences, OSAHS may contribute to the decreased serum adiponectin level.