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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Published on: December 6, 2016
Flow-mediated dilatation identifies impaired endothelial function in patients with sleep apnea syndrome
Akiomi Yoshihisa1, Takashi Owada, Yasuto Hoshino
1Department of Cardiology and Hematology, Fukushima Medical University, Japan. yoshihis@fmu.ac.jp
Background:
Non-invasive detection of vascular dysfunction in the early stage is clinically important in patients with sleep apnea syndrome (SAS). Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) is a novel clinical marker of endothelial function. However, it is not clear whether this is useful in the SAS patient.
Methods:
Echocardiographic parameters and FMD were measured in 129 patients with SAS. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was defined by polygraphy, and patients were divided into the two Groups: Group A (moderate-severe SAS: AHI≥ 15 times/hr, n=93) and Group B (mild SAS: AHI 5-15 times/hr, n=36).
Results:
There were no significant differences in echocardiographic parameters between the two groups. However, FMD was significantly lower in Group A than in Group B (3.5±1.6 vs. 7.8±3.1, P< 0.01).
Conclusions:
Although cardiac function was not different, vascular dysfunction was evident in patients with moderate-severe SAS. FMD is a useful tool to identify impaired endothelial function non-invasively in patients with SAS.
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