Long-term continuous positive airway pressure treatment ameliorates biological clock disruptions in obstructive sleep apnea
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent and underdiagnosed sleep disorder. Recent studies suggest that OSA might disrupt the biological clock, potentially causing or worsening OSA-associated comorbidities. However, the effect of OSA treatment on clock disruption is not fully understood. METHODS: The impact of OSA and short- (four months) and long-term (two years) OSA treatment, with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), on the biological clock was investigated at four time points within 24 h, in OSA patients relative to controls subjects (no OSA) of the same sex and age group, in a case-control study. Plasma melatonin and cortisol, body temperature and the expression levels and rhythmicity of eleven clock genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were assessed. Additional computational tools were used for a detailed data analysis. FINDINGS: OSA impacts on clock outputs and on the expression of several clock genes in PBMCs. Neither short- nor long-term treatment fully reverted OSA-induced alterations in the expression of clock genes. However, long-term treatment was able to re-establish levels of plasma melatonin and cortisol and body temperature. Machine learning methods could discriminate controls from untreated OSA patients. Following long-term treatment, the distinction between controls and patients disappeared, suggesting a closer similarity of the phenotypes. INTERPRETATION: OSA alters biological clock-related characteristics that…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a case-control. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Tryptophan Metabolism and Gut-Brain Homeostasis
- Rationale for a Multi-Factorial Approach for the Reversal of Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease and MCI: A Review
- Prioritized Research for the Prevention, Treatment, and Reversal of Chronic Disease: Recommendations From the Lifestyle Medicine Research Summit
- Relationship between sleep disorders and gut dysbiosis: what affects what?
- The role of CLOCK gene in psychiatric disorders: Evidence from human and animal research
- Genetic, Transcriptome, Proteomic, and Epidemiological Evidence for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption and Polymicrobial Brain Invasion as Determinant Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.