Obstructive sleep apnea exacerbates endothelial dysfunction in people with metabolic syndrome.

摘要

To the Editor: The process of aging can be found in a variety of organs, frequently overlapping in the metabolic, cardio-pulmonary, and nervous systems. A recent study showed that visceral fat accumulation is associated with metabolic risk factor clustering in older adults. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are well known as risk factors for cardiovascular disease and comorbid disorders in obese and older adults, but whether OSA affects vascular endothelial dysfunction, a surrogate marker of cardiovascular disease, in people with MetS has not been determined. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery, an indicator of endothelial vasomotor function, was therefore examined in people with MetS with or without OSA.