Serum Concentration of Homocysteine and the Risk of Atherosclerosis in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Aim: to evaluate usefulness of serum homocysteine concentration in assessing the risk of atherosclerosis in patients with OSAS. Materials and methods: 47 patients (mean age 50.6 ± 10.3 years, mean BMI 31.52 ± 6.04 kg/m²), with OSAS confirmed by polisomnography and 12 healthy snoring subjects (mean age 42.8 ± 16.8 years, mean BMI 26.9 ± 2.95 kg/m²) were enrolled to the study. OSAS patients were divided into two groups–subjects with normal blood pressure (group A, n = 32, mean age 51.3 ± 10.3 years, mean BMI 30.6 ± 4.4 kg/m²) and subjects with arterial hypertension (group B, n = 15, mean age 52.7 ± 9.8 years, mean BMI 31.4 ± 5.0 kg/m²). None of the study subjects was treated with statins or fibrates. Serum concentration of homocysteine, uric acid, glucose level and lipid profile was evaluated inall subjects. Results: We found significant abnormalities in the lipid profile in all the study groups. The mean concentrations ofcholesterol (mg/dL), triglycerides (mg/dL) and homocysteine (μmol/L) were as follows: 215.0 ± 34.2, 200.0 ± 173.0, 8.2 ± 2.9 in group A, 216.5 ± 43.1, 189.3 ± 138.8, 8.40 ± 1.67 in group B. 195.0 ± 32.9, 154.3 ± 133.0, 9.3 ± 2.1 in the control group. No significant correlation between the homocysteine concentration and level of cholesterol or triglycerides was found. Conclusions: the serum concentration of homocysteine seems not to be a good marker in the evaluation of the risk of atherosclerosis in patients with OSAS.