Obstructive Sleep Apnea Tied to Inflammation, Organ Dysfunction

New study investigates the link between obstructive sleep apnea and inflammation, organ damage. The study findings suggest that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) promotes a persistent low-intensity inflammatory state.

New study identifies the strong link between obstructive sleep apnea, inflammation and organ damage. The findings of the study are published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Voyagers no longer embark in search of //the storied Fountain of Youth, but the quest for longevity is still very much alive for researchers.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea - Overview
Obstructive sleep apnea should be suspected in overweight middle aged adults who snore loudly and which can cause interruption of breathing for 10 seconds or more and this results in reduced blood o

‘New study examines the link between obstructive sleep apnea and inflammation, organ damage. The study findings suggest that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) promotes a persistent low-intensity inflammatory state.’
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"Aging has become the next frontier in medicine," said renowned sleep specialist David Gozal, MD, chair of the Department of Child Health at the University of Missouri School of Medicine.

Chronological age -- the passing of time one spends on this planet -- cannot be reversed, Gozal said. However, biological age -- one's health relative to that of one's peers -- can be turned back. Healthy lifestyle habits contribute to "aging well," meaning one's biological age is younger than one's chronological age, Gozal said. And sleep is a major factor in how well one ages.

In the study, "Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Inflammation: Proof of Concept Based on Two Illustrative Cytokines," researchers examined the link between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and inflammation and the ensuing damage caused to organs. They concluded that OSAS promotes a persistent low-intensity inflammatory state.

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The length of interrupted breathing in sleep apnea patients may be a better predictor of death risk. Men and women who have short apneas and hypopneas during sleep are at a higher risk of dying, reveals a new study.

Gozal and Leila Kheirandish-Gozal, MD, director of the MU School of Medicine's Child Health Research Institute, make the case that sleep-disordered breathing such as OSAS should be viewed as a low-grade chronic inflammatory disease That's because OSAS often leads to altered lung ventilation and low concentrations of oxygen in the blood, which can trigger inflammation.

Inflammation is associated with changes in neurocognition, mood, behavior, cardiovascular function, and metabolism, as well as a host of related conditions including chronic kidney disease, erectile dysfunction, eye disease and cancer.

Short Interrupted Breaths in Sleep Apnea Linked to Mortality Risk
Patients with the shortest apneas were 31 percent more likely to die when compared to patients with longer apneas.

In their study, Kheirandish-Gozal and Gozal performed an intensive review on previous studies, focusing on two specific pro-inflammatory cytokines, or substances secreted by certain cells in the immune system. By comparing and contrasting the ways these cytokines affect cells, the researchers were able to glean a better understanding of the various mechanisms of inflammation. This, in turn, could eventually lead to better, more precise treatments, Gozal said.

"We would like to be very precise in how we treat sleep apnea," Gozal said.

Oxygen Promotes Sleep
Oxygen therapy could be used to enhance slow-wave states during sleep to ensure that individuals who may have disrupted sleep are getting enough of the restorative, slow-wave sleep.

Currently, the most common treatments for OSAS are the surgical removal of tonsil and adenoid tissues for children and the use of CPAP machines for adults. However, more precise treatments might include vitamin C or plant-derived antioxidants to reverse the damage caused by the specific inflammatory processes and protect the body from future damage.

Gozal is hopeful future studies will help researchers better understand the biomarkers that point to a person's unique vulnerabilities to the nuances of inflammation and, in turn, improved treatments to correct and prevent cellular damage.

These treatments, Gozal said, could help reverse patients' biological ages, leading to longer, healthier lives.

Primary funding for the study is from the National Institutes of Health (HL130984 and HL140548), and the Office of Medical Research at the MU School of Medicine. The study authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies.

Source-Eurekalert