Obstructive sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, and inflammation--is NF-kappaB the key?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects a large portion of the population and is associated with repeated airway collapse leading to chronic intermittent hypoxia, exaggerated swings in intrathoracic pressure and post apneic arousal. OSA is associated with heightened sympathoadrenal tone and is a risk...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sleep & breathing 2007-06, Vol.11 (2), p.69-76
Main Authors: Williams, Antoinette, Scharf, Steven M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology
Cardiovascular Diseases - metabolism
Humans
Inflammation - metabolism
NF-kappa B - metabolism
Polysomnography
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - complications
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - metabolism
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects a large portion of the population and is associated with repeated airway collapse leading to chronic intermittent hypoxia, exaggerated swings in intrathoracic pressure and post apneic arousal. OSA is associated with heightened sympathoadrenal tone and is a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. In addition to well-known mechanical and autonomic effects, OSA appears to be associated with systemic inflammation. This could provide one mechanism leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). A central factor in the inflammatory cascade is nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB), which is involved in the transcription of numerous genes involved in the inflammatory cascade. The object of this article is to review recent literature on some of the aspects of OSA related to a proinflammatory state and the possible role of NF-kappaB as one mechanism providing a link between sleep apnea and CVD.
ISSN:1520-9512