Impact of obstructive sleep apnea on the 24-h metabolic hormone profile

• OSA does not influence day-night variations in levels of several metabolic hormones.
• OSA does not generate an altered rhythm in secretion of several metabolic hormones.
• Patients with OSA and controls present similar 24-h metabolic hormones profile.

ObjectiveObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been associated with metabolic disorders. Sleep-disordered breathing could generate an altered rhythm in the expression of metabolic hormones, which could predispose to metabolic disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sleep apnea on diurnal variations in metabolic hormones.MethodsThirty-seven male, newly diagnosed, patients with OSA with an apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) ⩾20/h and 11 male controls (AHI <10/h) matched for body mass index (±3 kg/m2) were included. Six different samples were obtained from each subject during a period of 24 h. Levels of the metabolic hormones ghrelin, leptin, resistin, and adiponectin were measured in plasma by immunoassay.ResultsPatients with OSA (AHI (mean ± SD) 46 ± 26/h) were older than the controls (42 ± 9 vs 33 ± 9 years, P = 0.01). Differences in metabolic hormones between groups did not reach statistical significance at any point in the evaluation. No significant differences were observed in the area under the curve for any of the hormones analysed. Likewise, we did not detect diurnal variations in metabolic hormones.ConclusionsThe results of this study indicate that the day–night variations in the levels of several metabolic hormones are not influenced by the presence of sleep apnea.