Sleep Apnea Patients Research Articles

Machine learning based severity classification of obstructive sleep apnea patients using awake EEG

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most widespread breathing-based sleep disorders. Previous studies reported daytime sleepiness, mental fatigue, and cognitive decline in patients with OSA. The diagnosis of OSA is done with laborious overnight polysomnography (PSG) recording. This study aims to classify the severity of OSA patients according to the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) into mild and moderate to-serve groups (AHI ≥ 15) without using recorded signals during sleep, non-PSG signals and investigate the relevant features. For this purpose, 25 OSA patients participated in 3-minute eyes closed resting state EEG session on the following morning of overnight PSG recording. Time, spectral domain, and nonlinear features were extracted from the delta, theta, and alpha subbands’ of EEG signals. Several machine learning algorithms were used to classify patients’ severity. To investigate optimal feature combinations features were grouped according to their types (Time domain/spectral domain and nonlinear), their electrodes (frontal/central/parietal/occipital), and their subbands (delta/theta/alpha). Also, the Relief method was applied to select the most relevant features. A 5-fold cross validation method was used to generalize the model behaviour. Optimal feature combinations were selected according to classifiers' performances that were evaluated by accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve (AUC) parameters when feature sets were used as input. The 15 selected features by the Relief method showed the best performances in the K-Nearest Neighbours (K = 5) classifier [accuracy: 93.33 % ± 5.27 %; sensitivity: 92.30 % ± 4.97 %; specificity: 94.14 % ± 4.24 %; AUC:0.98]. The findings establish that awake resting state EEG records might be used as a faster tool to use OSA severity level.

Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Therapy in a Belgian Cohort of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients.

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS) has emerged as a widespread and innovative treatment option for selected moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients who cannot be treated effectively with traditional treatment modalities. In this observational cohort study, the objective and subjective outcomes of Belgian OSA patients treated with HGNS therapy were analyzed at 6 and 12 months post-implantation. Thirty-nine patients implanted with a respiration-synchronized HGNS device at the Antwerp University Hospital w ere included in this study. Patients underwent baseline in-laboratory polysomnography and a follow-up sleep study 6 and 12 months post-implantation. Questionnaires on patient experience and daytime sleepiness were filled out and data on objective therapy usage were collected. All 39 patients completed the 6-month follow-up and 21 patients (54%) completed the 12-month follow-up. Median AHI decreased from 33.8 [26.1;45.0] to 10.2 [4.8;16.4] at the 6-month follow-up, and to 9.6 [4.1;16.4] at the 12-month follow-up (p < 0.001). The surgical success rate, according to the Sher20 criteria, was 80% and 76% at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups, respectively. Median ESS improved from 12.0 [7.0;18.0] at baseline to 6.0 [2.5;11.0] at 6 months (p < 0.001) and to 6.5 [2.8;11.5] at 12 months (p = 0.012). Objective therapy usage was 7.4 [6.6;8.0] and 7.0 [5.9:8.2] h/night at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups, respectively. A high overall clinical effectiveness of HGNS therapy, as shown by a mean disease alleviation of 58%, was demonstrated at 12 months post-implantation. Overall, HGNS therapy using respiration-synchronized neurostimulation of the XII cranial nerve resulted in a significant improvement in both objective and subjective OSA outcomes, with a high level of patient satisfaction and high treatment adherence.

The association between irregularity in sleep-wake rhythm and CPAP adherence

This study aims to evaluate the association between sleep-wake rhythm regularity and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) adherence. We retrospectively analyzed sleep-wake rhythms with activity monitoring and CPAP adherence among obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients newly diagnosed and introduced to CPAP therapy at the Sapporo Hanazono Hospital from January 2018 to June 2022. Among a total of 45 patients, 10 withdrew from CPAP therapy within a year. Nineteen were classified into the good-adherence and 16 into the poor-adherence group. No significant differences were detected among the groups in apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), sleep efficiency, or subjective sleep quality, but a difference was observed in sleep latency, with the CPAP withdrawal group showing higher variability in sleep onset and lower regularity and/or amplitude in circadian behavior activity rhythm than the good-adherence group. Our results suggest that irregularities, particularly in sleep onset, and damped sleep-wake rhythm can be risk factors for CPAP withdrawal.

Globus sensation in obstructive sleep apnea patients; A cross-sectional study of 120 patients.

Globus pharyngeus (GP) is a common complaint in many disciplines, especially otolaryngology. Pharyngeal symptoms and abnormalities, including GP, are frequent in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. This study aims to investigate globus sensation in non-operated OSA patients. After translation and validation, the Laryngopharyngeal Measure of Perceived Sensation (LUMP) was administered to 120 untreated OSA patients. All patients underwent polysomnography and thorough physical examination. The association between LUMP scores and OSA measures was evaluated. LUMP score had a significant correlation with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) (Spearman's ρ = 0.269, p = 0.004), and BMI (Spearman's ρ = 0.249, p = 0.007), the anatomical position of the tongue (ρ = -0.191, p = 0.04) and the Friedman grade of tonsils (ρ = 0.241, p = 0.01). It correlated with SpO2 nadir, though it did not reach statistical significance. The results of our study depict a relationship between a self-report measure of globus sensation and daytime sleepiness, BMI and tonsil size. In the absence of a direct relationship between OSA severity parameters and GP, we hypothesize a role for shared comorbidities and anatomical phenotypes. The increased frequency of GP in OSA patients should be considered when evaluating the complications of surgical interventions in these patients.

Abnormal dynamic functional connectivity and topological properties of cerebellar network in male obstructive sleep apnea.

To investigate dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) within the cerebellar-whole brain network and dynamic topological properties of the cerebellar network in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. Sixty male patients and 60 male healthy controls were included. The sliding window method examined the fluctuations in cerebellum-whole brain dFC and connection strength in OSA. Furthermore, graph theory metrics evaluated the dynamic topological properties of the cerebellar network. Additionally, hidden Markov modeling validated the robustness of the dFC. The correlations between the abovementioned measures and clinical assessments were assessed. Two dynamic network states were characterized. State 2 exhibited a heightened frequency, longer fractional occupancy, and greater mean dwell time in OSA. The cerebellar networks and cerebrocerebellar dFC alterations were mainly located in the default mode network, frontoparietal network, somatomotor network, right cerebellar CrusI/II, and other networks. Global properties indicated aberrant cerebellar topology in OSA. Dynamic properties were correlated with clinical indicators primarily on emotion, cognition, and sleep. Abnormal dFC in male OSA may indicate an imbalance between the integration and segregation of brain networks, concurrent with global topological alterations. Abnormal default mode network interactions with high-order and low-level cognitive networks, disrupting their coordination, may impair the regulation of cognitive, emotional, and sleep functions in OSA.

Effect of CPAP Treatment on Cardiovascular Outcomes

IntroductionRandomized controlled trials (RCT) have not demonstrated a role for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on the secondary prevention of major cardiovascular events in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. However, participants in RCTs are substantially different from real-world patients. Therefore, we aimed to assess the effect of CPAP treatment on major cardiovascular events in real-world OSA patients. MethodsPopulation-based longitudinal observational study including all OSA patients with an active CPAP prescription at the beginning of 2011 in Catalonia, Spain, that terminated CPAP treatment during 2011 and did not have CPAP prescriptions between 2012-2015; and propensity-score-matched OSA patients that continued CPAP treatment until the end of 2015 or death. Adjusted hazard ratios were used to assess the association between CPAP treatment and overall and cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular hospitalizations, or major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Results3638 CPAP terminators and 10,914 propensity-score-matched continuators were included (median age 67 [57–77] years, 71.4% male). During a median follow-up of 47.9 months CPAP continuators showed a lower risk of cardiovascular death than terminators (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50–0.75) after adjusting by age, sex and key comorbidities. Similar results were found for cardiovascular hospitalizations (HR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.76–0.99) and MACEs (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.75–0.95). ConclusionCPAP treatment continuation could be associated with a significantly lower risk of major cardiovascular events in real-world OSA patients. This result highlights the importance of including real-world patients in studies on OSA.

Wireless wearable sensors can facilitate rapid detection of sleep apnea in hospitalized stroke patients.

To evaluate wearable devices and machine learning for detecting sleep apnea in patients with stroke at an acute inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF). A total of 76 individuals with stroke wore a standard home sleep apnea test (ApneaLink Air), a multimodal, wireless wearable sensor system (ANNE), and a research-grade actigraphy device (ActiWatch) for at least one night during their first week after IRF admission as part of a larger clinical trial. Logistic regression algorithms were trained to detect sleep apnea using biometric features obtained from the ANNE sensors and ground truth apnea rating from the ApneaLink Air. Multiple algorithms were evaluated using different sensor combinations and different apnea detection criteria based on the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI≥5, AHI≥15). Seventy-one (96%) participants wore the ANNE sensors for multiple nights. In contrast, only forty-eight participants (63%) could be successfully assessed for OSA by ApneaLink; 28 (37%) refused testing. The best-performing model utilized photoplethysmography (PPG) and finger temperature features to detect moderate-severe sleep apnea (AHI≥15), with 88% sensitivity and a positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 44.00. This model was tested on additional nights of ANNE data achieving 71% sensitivity (10.14 LR+) when considering each night independently and 86% accuracy when averaging multi-night predictions. This research demonstrates the feasibility of accurately detecting moderate-severe sleep apnea early in the stroke recovery process using wearable sensors and machine learning techniques. These findings can inform future efforts to improve early detection for post-stroke sleep disorders, thereby enhancing patient recovery and long-term outcomes.

Upper Airway Collapsibility during Sleep Endoscopy with a Titratable Mandibular Advancement Simulator in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients

Upper Airway Collapsibility during Sleep Endoscopy with a Titratable Mandibular Advancement Simulator in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients

Identification of quality-of-life clusters by the Quebec sleep questionnaire in sleep apnea patients.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may present different symptoms. The clinical importance of symptom clustering is supported by the difference in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases between hypersomnolent and non-hypersomnolent sleep apnea patients. The objective of this study was to determine if quality-of-life clusters could be identified from the Quebec Sleep Questionnaire (QSQ) in OSA patients. Latent class analysis was used to identify clusters in a multivariate analysis of dichotomic variables (presence or absence of symptoms) for each item the QSQ obtained from 147 patients who fulfilled the questionnaire during its validation and subsequent trials (75.5% males, age: 53 ± 11 years, body mass index (BMI): 30.4 ± 4.7 kg/m2, apnea/hypopnea index (AHI): 31.3 ± 14.8/h). Three clusters were identified. Quality of life was preserved in patients of cluster 1 (20.4% of patients). Patients of cluster 2 (32.6% of patients) had a moderately impaired quality of life, mainly due to daytime somnolence and poor sleep quality. Patients with impaired quality of life (cluster 3, 46.9% of patients) had an important impact in every domain of the QSQ with the highest sleepiness and daytime symptom impairments. Gender, BMI, and AHI did not differ between the three clusters. In conclusion, different quality-of-life clusters can be identified from the QSQ in sleep apnea patients. These clusters are similar to those reported previously. Further studies are needed to validate these clusters in larger and independent cohorts, to evaluate how they respond to OSA treatment, and their relationship with incident outcomes.

Validation of a Portable Respiratory Monitoring System for the Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Crossectional Study.

Introduction Portable respiratory monitoring (PM) has been used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in the general population. However, its validation in patients with both OSA and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), remains unclear. Objective The aim of the study was to validate PM for the diagnosis of OSA in patients with COPD. Materials and Methods In this crossectional study, COPD patients were submitted simultaneously to polysomnography (PSG) and PM. Moreover, the risk for OSA was verified by the Berlin, NoSAS, and STOP-BANG questionnaires. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for PM were calculated for the cutoff points of the hypopnea apnea index (AHI) of 5, 15, and 30 events/hour, as well as for the questionnaires. The Bland-Altman test and correlation analyses between the AHI of the PSG and PM were performed. Results A total of 103 patients were evaluated (age 67.5 ± 9.9 years, 60% men). The STOP-BANG questionnaire had the highest sensitivity for OSA diagnosis, at 94.4% (72.7-99.9%). The sensitivity of PM decreased (87.0, 66.7, and 44.4%), and the specificity increased 40.0, 78.6, and 100.0%) as the AHI cutoff point increased from 5, 15, and 30. The Bland-Altman test indicated good limits of agreement (AHI = 5.5 ± 11.7 events/hour). Therefore, the AHI results of the PM showed a strong and positive correlation with those of the PSG (r = 0.70, p < 0.0001). Conclusion The PM test can be a useful tool for OSA diagnosis in patients with COPD.

Association between glucose metabolism, the circadian cycle and hypoxia: Evaluation of the NPAS2 and Rev-Erb-α protein serum levels in obstructive sleep apnea patients - a pilot study.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the risk factors for diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2). As OSA is associated with the disruption of the circadian rhythm, it affects circadian clock proteins, including neuronal PAS domain protein 2 (NPAS2) and nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group D member 1 (Rev-Erb-α). These proteins have been shown to be related to metabolic abnormalities, i.a., insulin resistance. The present pilot study aimed to investigate the NPAS2 and Rev-Erb-α protein serum levels in the groups of patients with severe OSA and severe OSA+DM2 in comparison with healthy controls, taking into account correlations with polysomnography (PSG) parameters (e.g., oxygen saturation (SpO2) variables). A total of 40 participants were included in the study. They were split into 3 groups as follows: the OSA group (n = 17; apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) >30, no DM2); the OSA+DM2 group (n = 7; AHI > 30 and DM2); and the control group (n = 16; AHI < 5, no DM2). All participants underwent a nocturnal PSG examination and had their blood collected the following morning. The serum levels of NPAS2 and Rev-Erb-α proteins were assessed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mean NPAS2 protein level was significantly lower in the OSA group as compared to healthy individuals (p = 0.017). Additionally, the OSA group presented with lower NPAS2 protein levels as compared to the OSA+DM2 group, but only a tendency was observed (p = 0.094). No differences in the Rev-Erb-α protein concentration were noticed. Furthermore, a negative correlation between AHI during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and the NPAS2 protein serum level was observed (r = -0.478; p = 0.002). Serum NPAS2 protein might be involved in metabolic dysregulation present among OSA patients, while the mechanism itself may be associated with REM sleep.

Sleep apnea patients with epiglottic collapse elevate their larynx more with swallowing; videofluoroscopic swallowing study of 80 patients.

The epiglottis plays an integral role in the swallowing mechanism and is also implicated as an obstruction site in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The underlying causes of epiglottic collapse during sleep remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the cognitive functions using the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) and the neurophysiological and anatomical factors using videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS). We compared patients with OSA exhibiting epiglottic collapse to those without, assessing differences in anatomical or neurophysiological characteristics. The study included 12 patients with epiglottic collapse (Epi-group) and 68 without (non-Epi group), all undergoing overnight polysomnography (PSG), drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE), LOTCA, and VFSS. Oral transit time (OTT), pharyngeal delay time (PDT), and pharyngeal transit time (PTT) were considered as neurophysiological traits, and laryngeal elevation length (LE) as anatomical trait, and were measured across various test diets (10ml of liquid, soft, or solid). The study comprised 80 individuals, 57 men and 23 women, with no significant age, sex, body mass index or PSG parameters between groups, or DISE findings, with the exception of epiglottic collapse. Swallowing metrics from VFSS were normal, with no differences in OTT, PDT, PTT, or LOTCA scores. Notably, patients with epiglottic collapse showed a greater laryngeal elevation when swallowing soft and solid foods (p = 0.025 and p = 0.048, respectively). Patients with epiglottic collapse do not exhibit neurophysiological or cognitive impairments when compared to non-Epi group. However, the Epi-group displayed a significantly increased laryngeal elevation length. This suggests that anatomical factors may have a more substantial role in the development of epiglottic collapse than neurophysiological factors.

Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in patients with primary nasal and nasopharyngeal pathologies.

The aim of this study was to study the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in patients with nasal and nasopharyngeal pathologies. A total of 60 consenting patients between the age of 14 to 60 years with primary nasal and nasopharyngeal pathologies were taken up for the study. These patients underwent history taking, detailed clinical examination including BMI, diagnostic nasal endoscopy and overnight polysomnography. The polysomnography results of people with different pathologies were compared and analysed. Based on the analysis it was arrived that isolated pathologies like septal deviation, nasal polypi and adenoid hypertrophy provided a statistically significant association with occurrence and severity of OSA. Also, that patients with combined pathologies were more proportionately affected by OSA than those with isolated pathologies. Nasal and nasopharyngeal pathologies have significant association with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and all patients with these pathologies need to undergo polysomnography along with other routine investigations.

Biophysical modeling and diffusion kurtosis imaging reveal microstructural alterations in normal-appearing white-matter regions of the brain in obstructive sleep apnea.

Studies have indicated that sleep abnormalities are a strong risk factor for developing cognitive impairment, cardiomyopathies, and neurodegenerative disorders. However, neuroimaging modalities are unable to show any consistent markers in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. We hypothesized that, compared with those of the control cohort, advanced diffusion MRI metrics could show subtle microstructural alterations in the brains of patients with OSA. Sixteen newly diagnosed patients with moderate to severe OSA and 15 healthy volunteers of the same age and sex were considered healthy controls. Multishell diffusion MRI data of the brain, along with anatomical data (T1 and T2 images), were obtained on a 3T MRI system (Siemens, Germany) after a polysomnography (PSG) test for sleep abnormalities and a behavioral test battery to evaluate cognitive and executive brain functions. Diffusion MRI data were used to compute diffusion tensor imaging and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) parameters along with white-matter tract integrity (WMTI) metrics for only parallel white-matter fibers. OSA was diagnosed when the patient's apnea-hypopnea index was ≥ 15. No significant changes in cognitive or executive functions were observed in the OSA cohort. DKI parameters can show significant microstructural alterations in the white-matter region, while the WMTI metric, the axonal-water-fraction (fp), reveals a significant decrease in OSA patients concerning the control cohort. Advanced diffusion MRI-based microstructural alterations in the white-matter region of the brain suggest that white-matter tracts are more sensitive to OSA-induced intermittent hypoxia.

Impact of continuous positive airway pressure for severe sleep apnea on very late recurrence in patients receiving catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation

Abstract Background Sleep apnea (SA) represents a risk for arrhythmia recurrence following catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF). Continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) is the established standard treatment for moderate to severe SA. While CPAP exhibits promise in reducing AF recurrences post-CA, the evidence is not entirely consistent. The impact of CPAP for severe SA on very late recurrence post-CA of AF has not been elucidated. Methods This study employed a retrospective, single-center, observational design. Data were derived from SA screening tests routinely performed in patients scheduled for CA of AF in our facility. We defined severe SA as an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)≥30 by a home sleep apnea test or polysomnography. After excluding patients already diagnosed with sleep apnea before CA, we enrolled 466 consecutive severe SA patients. We divided them into two groups according to whether they had more than 1-year usage of continuous positive airway pressure after CA (CPAP group) or not (non-CPAP group). CPAP usage was monitored through telemonitoring and regular follow-up visits at our outpatient clinic every three months. Very late AF recurrence was defined as AF recurrence more than 1-year after the index CA. Results The age was 65±10 years, 17.4% were females, and 60.3% had non-paroxysmal AF. The mean AHI was 38.0±15.2. The CPAP group included 33.7% (n=157) and non-CPAP group 66.3% (n=309). The AF recurrence rates within 1-year post-CA were similar between the two groups (CPAP group vs. non-CPAP group, 16.6% vs. 16.2%, log-rank p=0.91). However, the very late AF recurrence rate was lower in the CPAP group than non-CPAP group (CPAP group vs. non-CPAP group, 7.6% vs. 21.6%, log-rank p=0.0002). Conclusion Among the untreated severe sleep apnea patients at the time of the catheter ablation of AF, CPAP treatment during 1-year post-CA was associated with fewer AF recurrences beyond 1-year post-CA.KM curve according to CPAP group

Intense symptoms of pain are associated with poor sleep, fibromyalgia, depression and sleep apnea in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. A register-based study

ObjectivesTo study whether poor sleep and comorbidities are associated with high symptom levels of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) pain, patient global assessment and fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), in a nation-wide cross-sectional setting. MethodsClinical data were extracted from The Finnish Rheumatology Quality Register between 1.2021 and 9.2022. Self-reported sleep was categorized as “good” (little/no difficulties) or “poor” (great difficulties/can’t) sleep. Data concerning comorbidities were collected from national registers. Descriptive statistics were used. Regression analyses were applied to analyze independent associations of sleep status, comorbidities and disease activity with pain in RA and PsA, adjusting for age and sex. ResultsAmong 13,512 patients with RA, 6052 [mean (SD) age 62 (13), 71% female] had sleep status reported; in PsA 1861/3636 [age 55 (13), 48% female]. In RA, 5072 (84%) reported good and 980 (16%) poor sleep; the corresponding numbers in PsA were 1460 (78%) and 401 (22%). Median values for objective disease activity were low and similar in patients with poor sleep and good sleep in both diseases. Among patients with no swollen joints, the median values for PROs were approximately three times higher for patients with poor sleep vs. good sleep in both diagnoses (P<0.001). In regression analyses, “poor” sleep was independently associated with higher symptoms in pain [B (95%CI) 20 (18,22) in RA and 23 (19, 26) in PsA], followed by comorbid fibromyalgia, as well as depression in RA and sleep apnea in PsA. Conclusion“Poor” sleep quality and comorbidities are independently associated with pain. Patient's sleep status is important to know especially in patients with severe symptoms without objective disease activity.

Cardiovascular disease and sleep apnea in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The article provides information on concomitant conditions of type 2 diabetes mellitus such as cardiovascular diseases, sleep apnea syndrome. Questions about the types of sleep breathing disorders and factors predisposing to this condition are discussed. Data on the prevalence of sleep apnea in the world are demonstrated. The main approaches to the diagnosis of this condition are shown. Differences in therapy approaches for obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea have been demonstrated. The issues of the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases are considered. The data of clinical studies evaluating the relationship of sleep apnea and cardiovascular diseases are presented. Their mutually aggravating influence is shown. Information is provided on the effect of sleep apnea on the main clinical outcomes according to clinical research data. The relationship between sleep apnea and heart failure is discussed. The main issues of the inflammatory profile of sleep apnea are discussed, which are closely related to cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes and include: macrophage recruitment and inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein, chemokines and cytokines such as interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor α, nuclear kappa factor B, as well as adhesion molecules such as selectins, intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and intracellular vascular adhesion molecule (VCAM-1), imbalance between prooxidant and antioxidant factors. These factors contribute to the development of microvascular and macrovascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Special attention is paid in the publication to the discussion of the main factors predisposing to the development of sleep apnea in heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The data on the main diagnostic tests for patients with heart failure and type 2 diabetes are presented. Information is provided on the use of drugs from the group of sodiumglucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea syndrome. Reasonable recommendations on the use of these drugs are presented, taking into account the modern strategy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients with Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia.

To explore the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia (MTD). The medical records of patients diagnosed with primary MTD between November 2021 and March 2023, were reviewed. The risk of having OSA was assessed by looking at the scores of two validated questionnaires, namely the STOP-BANG questionnaire and the Berlin questionnaire. A total of 40 patients with primary MTD were enrolled in this study, including 16 females (40%) and 24 males (60%). The mean total STOP-BANG score was 3.57 ± 1.67. Seventeen of the study group had intermediate risk of OSA, and 14 had high risk, accounting for 77.5% of patients with primary MTD. When using the Berlin questionnaire, the mean total score was 1.65 ± 0.95, and 67.5% of the study group had a score > 2 and were at high risk of having OSA. The results of this study indicate that patients with primary MTD are at moderate to severe risk of having OSA.

Changes in plasma concentrations of novel vascular and inflammatory biomarkers in obstructive sleep apnea patients pre- and post-stroke

BackgroundObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as a common condition in the general population and causes significant OSA-associated morbidities including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events such as cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and stroke. MethodsIn this study, using sensitive ELISA immunoassays, we measured subset of endothelial/vascular and inflammatory biomarkers as well as neurofilament light chain (NfL), a sensitive marker for neuroaxonal injury, using plasma from OSA patients post-stroke (Acute Cerebral Infarction (ACI), N = 26) to determine their usefulness as potential prognostic markers in disease progression. ResultsOur results showed significantly increased plasma TNFα and NfL concentrations and decreased concentrations of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF-AA) in post-stroke OSA patients with more severe white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). And after separating the patients based on sex, compared to females, male post-stroke OSA patients with severe WMHs have increased circulating levels of inflammatory chemokine CXCL10 and cytokine Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and significantly decreased levels of Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) an important protein responsible for endothelial/vascular integrity functions. Importantly, in a subset of newly diagnosed OSA patients (without prior history of stroke), significantly increased plasma CXCL10 levels and decreased plasma Ang-1 levels were also readily observed when compared to healthy controls, indicating possible altered endothelial integrity and ongoing vascular inflammation in these newly diagnosed OSA patients. ConclusionsIn summary, our study has identified a novel set of plasma biomarkers including PDGF-AA, CXCL10 and Ang-1 for their potential prognostic value for disease outcomes pre- and post-stroke in OSA patients and use as surrogate markers to measure efficacy of treatment modalities.

The Hypoxic Burden, Clinical Implication of a New Biomarker in the Cardiovascular Management of Sleep Apnea Patients: A Systematic Review.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent sleep-disordered breathing. It is associated with adverse co-morbidities, being the most scientific evidence of cardiovascular (CV) disease. Currently, OSA is measured through the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), the total number of respiratory events per hour of sleep. However, different studies have questioned its utility in OSA management, highlighting the need to search for new parameters that better reflect the heterogeneity of the disease. Hypoxic burden (HB) has emerged as a novel biomarker that informs about the frequency, duration and depth of the desaturation related to the respiratory events. We conducted a systematic review in order to find publications about the heterogeneity of OSA measured by HB and its associations with future disease. Systematic review was conducted using PubMed and Web of Science. The terms "sleep apne" and "hypoxic burden" were used to look for publications from the date of inception to August 15, 2023. Inclusion criteria: articles in English published in peer-reviewed journals. Exclusion criteria: (1) not available publications; (2) duplicated articles; (3) letters, editorials, and congress communications; (4) articles not including information about HB as a specific biomarker of OSA. 33 studies were included. The results were classified in 2 main sections: (1) HB implication in the CV sphere: HB showed to be a better predictor of CV risk in OSA patients than traditional measures such as AHI with possible clinical management implication in OSA. (2) HB response to OSA treatment: pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments have demonstrated to be effective in improving hypoxia measured through the HB. HB could be a better and more effective parameter than traditional measurements in terms of diagnosis, risk prediction and therapeutic decisions in patients with OSA. This measure could be incorporated in sleep units and could play a role in OSA management, driving the clinic to a more personalized medicine.