Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) a marker of oxidative stress in obstructive sleep apnea

Abstract

Introduction: OSA is a common condition that is primarily characterized by intermittent and recurrent pauses in respiration results in multiple cycles of hypoxia/re-oxygenation with an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Aim of work: Is to assess TBARS as a marker of oxidative stress in obese patients with and without OSA. Subjects and methods: Study was performed on 51 obese subjects who had been referred to the Chest Department of Kasr Alaini Hospital with clinical suspicion of OSA in order to perform polysomnography. They were classified into two groups; Cases: consist of 33 obese patients who were diagnosed as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and Controls: consist of 18 obese subjects, without OSA as a control group. The two groups were subjected to polysomnograpic study and serum TBARS. Results: There was statistically highly significant increase in Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) among cases compared to controls. As regards the polysomnographic data, there was statistically highly significant increase in AHI, desaturation index and duration of desaturation <90% among cases compared to control subjects. While minimal O2 sat% and average O2 sat% were lower in cases than in the control subjects this reduction was statistically significant. There was statistically highly significant increase in serum TBARS levels among cases as compared to controls. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between grade of obesity and serum TBARS among studied cases. Conclusion: TBRAS could be used as a marker of oxidative stress in OSA.

Keywords

• OSA
• Obesity
• Oxidative stress