O bstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with a high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and atrial fibrillation (AF).1,2 OSA is characterized by repetitive total collapses of the upper airway, leading to intermittent hypoxia, forced inspiration-induced negative tracheal and thoracic pressure (NTP), postapneic blood pressure rises, 3 and increased sympathetic activation. 4 Stimulation of vascular and cardiac α-and β-adrenoceptors by the neurotransmitters of the sympathetic nervous system leads to neurohumoral activation and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation via nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase (NADPH-oxidase) 5 and mitochondria. 6 Furthermore, elevated NADPHoxidase activity is associated with permanent AF in mice and humans 7,8 and, in particular, with an early event in the natural history of postoperative AF. 9 Therefore, increased sympathetic activation may play an important role for the initiation and progression of AF in OSA.Modulation of the autonomic nervous system by renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) has been shown to be effective in reducing both renal norepinephrine spillover and muscle sympathetic nerve activity. [10][11][12] In a pig model mimicking OSA, 1-time applied NTP during 2 minutes of obstructive respiratory events increased inducibility of AF by premature electric stimuli, 13,14 which could be reduced by β-adrenoceptor blockade and RDN. 15 However, the role of sympathetic activation for spontaneous AF episodes and the reasons for the progression to permanent AF in OSA Abstract-Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by repetitive collapses of the upper airway, negative thoracic pressure periods, and intermittent hypoxia, stimulating the autonomic nervous system. The increased sympathetic drive during obstructive sleep apnea results in postapneic blood pressure rises and neurohumoral activation potentially involved in the initiation and progression to permanent atrial fibrillation (AF). In a pig model mimicking obstructive sleep apnea, we studied the effects of repetitive obstructive respiratory events for 4 hours on the occurrence of spontaneous AF episodes, postapneic blood pressure rises, and neurohumoral activation. In addition, renal sympathetic denervation was performed to investigate the impact of the sympathetic nervous system. Repetitive obstructive respiratory events caused pronounced postapneic blood pressure rises, prolonged duration of spontaneous AF episodes triggered by spontaneous atrial beats, and increased plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentrations. This was associated with increased nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase activity, reduced antioxidative capacity, and elevated expression of connective tissue growth factor, a redox-sensitive mediator of fibrosis. Renal sympathetic denervation inhibited postapneic blood pressure rises and decreased plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentrations. The occurrence and duration of spontaneous AF were reduced comparable with a comb...