Clinically Silent Small Vessel Disease of the Brain in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is associated with increased risk of cerebrovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between the presence of the small vessel disease (SVD) of the brain in patients with OSAHS. The study included 24 patients with moderate to severe OSAHS and 34 healthy volunteers. All the subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, in order to sought periventricular white matter (PVWM), deep white matter (DWM) and brainstem SVD. Among patients with OSAHS, 79.1% had SVD (grade 1–3, Fazekas score) in DWM and 91.7% in PVWM while 22.4% had brainstem—white matter hyperintensities (B-WMH). Patients with OSAHS had a much higher degree of SVD in the DWM and PVWM compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The multivariate analysis showed an independent significant association of OSAHS with SVD (DWM and PVWM) (p = 0.033, OR 95% CI: 8.66 (1.19–63.08) and: p = 0.002, OR 95% CI: 104.98 (5.15–2141)). The same analysis showed a moderate association of OSAHS with B-WMH (p = 0.050, OR 15.07 (0.97–234.65)). Our study demonstrated an independent significant association of OSAHS with SVD and a moderate association of OSAHS with B-WMH.

Effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome and Cognitive Function in Ischemic Stroke Based on Linear Regression Equation

“…OSAHS is a disease involving multiple systems of the whole body, which can cause damage to multiple target organs of the whole body to a certain extent, such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, pulmonary heart disease, respiratory failure, and cognitive dysfunction. In recent years, studies have shown that the cognitive dysfunction caused by OSAHS patients is mainly mild cognitive impairment, and with the development of the disease, severe cases may evolve into Alzheimer's disease, among which the incidence of cognitive dysfunction is higher in severe OSAHS patients [ 3 ]. Stroke is a kind of cerebral blood circulation disorder with transient or permanent brain dysfunction as the main clinical manifestations.…”

Poor Sleep Quality Associated With Enlarged Perivascular Spaces in Patients With Lacunar Stroke

“…It is reasonable that poor sleep quality in humans may disrupt the removal of neurotoxins, interrupt the drainage of interstitial fluid, and possibly result in dilation of the perivascular spaces. In addition, some studies have demonstrated that poor sleep quality was associated with brain atrophy and WMH which share some risk factors with EPVS (11,12). However, the relationship between EPVS and sleep in humans is scarcely explored.…”