Obstructive sleep apnea and amyloid-β42 in adolescents: The results of a pilot study

Abstract

Background. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic condition characterized by repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep leading to intermittent hypoxia, excessive arousals and disrupt of sleep homeostasis. OSA is associated with obesity as well as pathological dynamics of cerebral beta-amyloid and dementia.The aim. Comparative assessment of the plasma beta-amyloid 42 levels in adolescents, depending on the presence or absence of OSA and obesity.Materials and methods. Seventy-four obese and non-obese male adolescents were included in the study. All participants underwent polysomnography to verify OSA and measure sleep parameters, and venipuncture for the assessment of betaamyloid 42 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results. After polysomnography all adolescents have been divided into four study groups: OSA obese (group 1; n = 28); non-OSA obese (group 2; n = 20); OSA non-obese (group 3; n = 11), and non-OSA non-obese (group 4 – control; n = 15). OSA obese adolescents had significant elevations in beta-amyloid 42 plasma levels compared with participants from three other groups (р = 0.007, p = 0.047 and p = 0.0002, correspondingly). Compared to both OSA non-obese adolescents and the control group, non-OSA obese patients had similar beta-amyloid 42 blood concentrations (p = 0.167 and p = 0.155, correspondingly). However, patients from the group 3 showed significantly higher beta-amyloid 42 plasma levels than controls (p = 0.004).Conclusions. Thus, OSA, accompanied by intermittent nocturnal hypoxia, and particularly OSA and obesity comorbidity, in adolescents is associated with increased beta-amyloid 42 circulating concentrations, which has a major role in pathogenesis of dementia. Beta-amyloid 42 plasma level may be recommended for use as early biomarker of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases, but future researches are needed.