Serum adiponectin levels in adult male patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome

Background: Adiponectin has been found to be associated with the pathogenesis of diabetes, obesity and some cardiovascular diseases, which usually coexist with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). However, an association between adiponectin and OSAHS has rarely been reported.

Objectives: To investigate the levels of serum adiponectin in adult male patients with OSAHS.

Methods: Following polysomnographic examination, 86 adult male habitual snorers were divided into simple snorers (control group) and OSAHS patients (OSAHS group) who were further divided into mild, moderate and severe OSAHS subgroups based on their apnea hypopnea index (AHI). There was no significant difference in age, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and insulin resistance expressed as homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) between the two groups. The serum adiponectin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay.

Results: Serum adiponectin levels were significantly lower in the OSAHS group than in the control (p < 0.01). Such a decrease in adiponectin level was most significant in patients with moderate and severe OSAHS. Pearson correlation analysis showed that in OSAHS patients, serum adiponectin level was negatively correlated with BMI, waist (WC) and neck (NC) circumferences, AHI and HOMA, but positively correlated with nadir pulse oxyhemoglobin saturation (nadir SpO2). After controlling for HOMA, BMI, NC and WC in OSAHS patients, a partial correlation analysis showed that adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with AHI but positively correlated with nadir SpO2. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that adiponectin was independently associated with OSAHS.

Conclusions: Serum adiponectin levels were significantly lower in OSAHS patients than in simple snorers. OSAHS may cause a decrease in serum adiponectin level.