[Serum concentration of homocysteine and the risk of atherosclerosis in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome].

Aim: to evaluate usefulness of serum homocysteine concentration in assessing the risk of atherosclerosis in patients with OSAS.

Materials And Methods: 47 patients (mean age 50.6+/-10.3 years, mean BMI 31.52+/-6.04 kg/m2), with OSAS confirmed by polisomnography and 12 healthy snoring subjects (mean age 42.8 +/-16.8 years, mean BMI 26.9+/-2.95 kg/m2) were enrolled to the study. OSAS patients were divided into two groups - subjects with normal blood pressure (group A, n=32, mean age 51.3+/-10.3 years, mean BMI 30.6+/-4.4 kg/m2) and subjects with arterial hypertension (group B, n=15, mean age 52.7+/-9.8 years, mean BMI 31.4+/-5.0 kg/m2). None of the study subjects was treated with statins or fibrates. Serum concentration ofhomocysteine, uric acid, glucose level and lipid profile was evaluated in all subjects.

Results: We found significant abnormalities in the lipid profile in all the study groups. The mean concentrations of cholesterol (mg/dL), triglycerides (mg/dL) and homocysteine (micromol/L) were as follows: 215.0+/-34.2, 200.0+/-173.0, 8.2+/-2.9 in group A, 216.5+/-43.1, 189.3+/-138.8, 8.40+/-1.67 in group B. 195.0+/-32.9, 154.3+/-133.0, 9.3+/-2.1 in the control group. No significant correlation between the homocysteine concentration and level of cholesterol or triglycerides was found.

Conclusions: the serum concentration of homocysteine seems not to be a good marker in the evaluation of the risk of atherosclerosis in patients with OSAS.