Relationship between aldosterone and the metabolic syndrome in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome: effect of continuous positive airway pressure treatment

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 20;9(1):e84362. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084362. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) occurs frequently in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). We hypothesized that aldosterone levels are elevated in OSAHS and associated with the presence of MS.

Methods: We studied 66 patients with OSAHS (33 with MS and 33 without MS) and 35 controls. The occurrence of the MS was analyzed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) clinical criteria. Measurements of plasma renin activity (PRA), aldosterone, aldosterone:PRA ratio, creatinine, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and HDL cholesterol were obtained at baseline and after CPAP treatment.

Results: Aldosterone levels were associated with the severity of OSAHS and higher than controls (p = 0.046). Significant differences in aldosterone levels were detected between OSAHS patients with and without MS (p = 0.041). A significant reduction was observed in the aldosterone levels in patients under CPAP treatment (p = 0.012).

Conclusion: This study shows that aldosterone levels are elevated in OSAHS in comparison to controls, and that CPAP therapy reduces aldosterone levels. It also shows that aldosterone levels are associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome, suggesting that aldosterone excess might predispose or aggravate the metabolic and cardiovascular complications of OSAHS.

Trial registration: The study is not a randomized controlled trial and was not registered.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aldosterone / blood*
  • Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metabolic Syndrome / blood*
  • Middle Aged
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / blood*

Substances

  • Aldosterone

Grants and funding

This work was supported in part by a grant from the Hospital Universitari Son Espases (Proyectos piloto HUSE-2011. No additional external funding received for this study. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.