The aims of this article were to determine the levels of serum high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients without cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to assess the efficacy of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Snorers referred for polysomnography (PSG) for the investigation of OSA were eligible and hs-cTnT levels measured in our pilot study. Hs-cTnT was measured again after 3 months of CPAP treatment in participants with severe OSA. A total of 93 participants recruited after PSG. When compared with simple snoring group, severe OSA group had comparable higher hs-cTnT (7.5 ± 3.0 vs. 5.0 ± 2.1; p < 0.05). Hs-cTnT was positively correlated with apnea hypopnea index, and oxygen desaturation index ( r = 0.283, 0.282; p = 0.006, 0.006, respectively). Hs-cTnT levels were not significantly altered in 28 individuals who received 3 months of CPAP treatment (8.4 ± 2.4 vs.7.6 ± 2.1; p = 0.064). Elevated hs-cTnT levels were observed in severe OSA patients without CVD, and CPAP treatment had no influence on this levels.
Keywords: Obstructive sleep apnea; cardiovascular diseases; continuous positive airway pressure; high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T; intermittent hypoxia.