[Correlation between sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome and preeclampsia and the possible pathogenesis of preeclampsia].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) and preeclampsia and the possible pathogenesis of the latter.

Methods: Twenty-five healthy pregnant women, 43 pregnant women with preeclampsia, and 27 with preeclampsia complicated by SAHS were enrolled in this study. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and the lowest arterial oxygen saturation (LSaO2) were measured through a 7-hour polysomnography (PSG), and the maternal age, gestational age, body mass index and 24-hour urine protein were recorded.

Results: All the indexes except for the maternal age and gestational age showed significant differences between the 3 groups. The two groups of preeclampsia patients showed a significant difference in BMI from the control cases. Significant positive correlations of AHI to BMI, MAP and 24-hour urine protein were noted; LSaO2 was found to inversely correlate to BMI, MAP, and 24-hour urine protein. In spite of the significant correlation of BMI to the other indexes, we found that BMI was less important than AHI and LSaO2.

Conclusion: SAHS may induce or aggravate preeclampsia. Greater attention should be given to the presence of SAHS in pregnant women with obesity, but obesity is not the predominant predisposing factor for preeclampsia.