Objective: To investigate the changes of platelet activation, coagulability, and fibrinolytic activation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) before and after the institution of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP).
Methods: Fifty-eight cases of OSAHS confirmed by polysomnography (PSG) were selected as the trial group, 20 subjects without OSAHS were recruited as the control group. Eleven patients with severe OSAHS were treated by nCPAP. Plasma GMP-140, GPIIb/IIIa and D-dimer were measured by ELISA.
Results: Plasma levels of GMP-140, GPIIb/IIIa and D-dimer were significantly higher in patients with moderate to severe OSAHS than those in the control group, P < 0.05, and nCPAP therapy decreased their levels significantly, P < 0.001. GMP-140, GPIIb/IIIa and D-dimer were correlated positively with AHI, and negatively with minimal oxygen saturation, P < 0.001.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that activation of platelet and coagulation system with fibrinolytic activation may be associated with the high prevalence of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events in patients with OSAHS. nCPAP therapy is effective in correcting these coagulatory and fibrinolytic abnormalities.