Imagawa S, Yamaguchi Y, Ogawa K, Obara N, Suzuki N, Yamamoto M, Nagasawa T
Division of Hematology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Respiration. 2004 Jan-Feb;71(1):24-9. doi: 10.1159/000075645.
In previous studies, significantly elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been reported in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). On the other hand, plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been significantly higher in mild sleep apneics than in normal controls. However, this study included a small number of patients and milder cases of OSAHS.
To assess the involvement of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in VEGF increases in patients with severe OSAHS, serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were determined in patients with severe OSAHS (n=110) and compared to those of controls (n=45) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
No significant increase in IL-6 or TNF-alpha was detected in the present study cohort. However, the body mass index was significantly correlated with the severity of the apnea-hypopnea index.
These data suggest that the elevation in VEGF is not directly related to IL-6 or TNF-alpha levels. However, the question of whether VEGF is the cause or the result of OSAHS remains to be determined. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of OSAHS, in which obesity should be entered as an independent factor.
在先前的研究中，有报道称重度阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征（OSAHS）患者的血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）水平显著升高。另一方面，轻度睡眠呼吸暂停患者的血浆肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）和白细胞介素-6（IL-6）水平明显高于正常对照组。然而，该研究纳入的患者数量较少，且OSAHS病例较轻。
为评估IL-6和TNF-α在重度OSAHS患者VEGF升高过程中的作用，采用酶联免疫吸附测定法测定了110例重度OSAHS患者的血清IL-6和TNF-α水平，并与45例对照组进行比较。
在本研究队列中未检测到IL-6或TNF-α有显著升高。然而，体重指数与呼吸暂停低通气指数的严重程度显著相关。
这些数据表明VEGF升高与IL-6或TNF-α水平无直接关系。然而，VEGF是OSAHS的病因还是结果仍有待确定。需要进一步研究以阐明IL-6和TNF-α在OSAHS发病机制中的作用，其中肥胖应作为一个独立因素纳入研究。
