Correlation between obstructive sleep apnea and serum markers HIF-1, IL-6 and iNOS after lung transplantation

To analyze the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1, interleukin (IL)-6 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in patients complicated with OSA after lung transplantation. To identify serum markers of OSA after lung transplantation.

We retrospectively selected patients who planned to undergo lung transplantation between 2018 and 2020, including 25 without OSA before lung transplantation (group A), 20 with OSA after lung transplantation (group B), and 15 patients without OSA after lung transplantation (group C). Sleep monitoring was performed, general information collection and hematological samples were collected. HIF-1, IL-6 and iNOS were detected by ELISA.

Group B were older [59.2 ± 10.1 (B) vs. 49.8 ± 15.1 (A), 58.2 ± 3.3 (C), yrs.], had a bigger neck circumference [38.1 ± 4.7 (B) vs. 34.6 ± 4.2 (A),35.7 ± 4.2 (C), cm], and a greater abdominal circumference [88.2 ± 12.5 (B) vs. 76.2 ± 7.9 (A), 82.5 ± 6.5 (C), cm] compared with Groups A and C (P < 0.05). iNOS in group B (4784.8 ± 1365.2 (B) vs. 1925.2 ± 1868.5 (A), 2838.7 ± 3015.5 (C), pg/mL) was significantly increased compared to groups A and C (P < 0.05). iNOS was positively correlated with AHI.

iNOS is significantly increased in OSA after lung transplantation, and maybe an important indicator of OSA.