Does nesfatin-1 influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in adult males with obstructive sleep apnoea?

Sci Rep. 2019 Aug 5;9(1):11289. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-47061-3.

Abstract

There is growing evidence that obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) influences the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG axis) in men. The aim of the study was to assess the association of nesfatin-1 with HPG axis disturbances in OSA. This is a prospective study with consecutive enrolment. It comprises 72 newly diagnosed OSA patients ((AHI: apnoea-hypopnea index) 18 subjects: 5 ≤ AHI < 15; 24: 15 ≤ AHI < 30; 30: AHI ≥ 30) and a control group composed of 19 patients (AHI < 5). All patients underwent polysomnography and fasting blood collection for nesfatin-1, testosterone, luteinising hormone (LH), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine and glucose. Groups had similar levels of LH, nesfatin-1 and testosterone (p = 0.87; p = 0.24; p = 0.08). Nesfatin-1 was not correlated to LH (p = 0.71), testosterone (p = 0.38), AHI (p = 0.34) or the oxygen desaturation index (ODI) (p = 0.69) either in the whole group, or in sub-groups. The study did not reveal any association between the HPG axis and nesfatin-1 in OSA adult males. It is possible that nesfatin-1 is not a mediator of HPG axis disturbances in adult patients with OSA.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Blood Glucose / analysis
  • Fasting
  • Gonads / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamus / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nucleobindins / blood
  • Nucleobindins / metabolism*
  • Pituitary Gland / metabolism*
  • Polysomnography
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / blood
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / metabolism*

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • NUCB2 protein, human
  • Nucleobindins