Plasm YKL-40 Levels Are Associated with Hypertension in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract EN

Background.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disease.

It can cause many serious complications.

OSA may increase the risk of hypertension.

However, the exact mechanism of OSA causing hypertension is not fully understood.

YKL-40/chitinase-3-like protein-1 plays an important role in vascular injury, repair, and generation.

We sought to explore the role of YKL-40 in endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in OSA patients.

Methods.

All subjects were examined by polysomnography (PSG) and the expression of YKL-40 in the plasm of the subjects was measured by luminex.

Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was measured by B-mode ultrasound.

Results.

According to the conditions of OSA and hypertension, we studied four groups of 157 subjects, including OSA group (OSA, N=77), OSA with hypertension group (OSA+HT, N=37), hypertension group (HT, N=20), and healthly group (Con, N=23).

YKL-40 levels were significantly elevated in OSA, OSA+HT, and HT group compared to Con groups.

We used the ROC to predict the sensitivity and specificity of YKL-40 in all OSA patients or all hyperpietic patients.

For OSA patients, the AUC of YKL-40 is 0.807 (95% confidence interval 0.725–0.888; p<0.01).

For hyperpietic patients, the AUC of YKL-40 is 0.656 (95% confidence interval 0.570–0.742, p=0.01).

There was a significant correlation between the parameter of OSA and hypertension and YKL-40 (P<0.05) and a significant correlation between Max-CIMT and YKL-40 (P<0.05).

Conclusion.

Elevated circulating levels of YKL-40 are associated with hypertension in OSA patients.

The specificity of YKL-40 suggests that it could be a potential biomarker for OSA and hypertension.