The Effect of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Surgery on Oxidative Stress Markers: A Prospective Observational Study

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) surgery on oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity, and oxidative protein modifications. Changes in Total Oxidant Status (TOS), Total Antioxidant Status (TAS), Advanced Oxidation Protein Products (AOPP), Ischemia-Modified Albumin (IMA), and Total Thiol (TT) levels were analyzed in the preoperative and postoperative periods. Methods: Sixty-seven patients aged 18-65 years with an Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) > 5 who underwent OSAS surgery were included. Demographic characteristics were recorded. Venous blood samples were collected at four time points: before anesthesia induction (T1), at the end of surgery (T2), on postoperative day 3 (T3), and at postoperative month 3 (T4). TOS, TAS, AOPP, IMA, and TT levels were measured and statistically evaluated. Results: Of the patients, 13.4% (n = 9) were female and 86.6% (n = 58) were male. No significant changes were observed in TOS, TAS, AOPP, or IMA levels between time points. However, TT levels at postoperative month 3 were significantly higher than those at earlier measurements (p < 0.05). Positive correlations were found between AHI and TOS, AOPP, and IMA levels, while TAS and TT showed no significant correlation with AHI. Conclusions: Surgery for OSAS did not produce significant postoperative improvements in oxidative stress parameters except for TT elevation. These results indicate that surgical intervention alone may be insufficient for biochemical recovery in OSAS and should be complemented by lifestyle and supportive therapies.