The Effect of Different ApoE Genotypes and Other Risk Factors on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Formation

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a disorder characterized by partial or complete narrowing of the pharyngeal airway during sleep. In this study it was aimed to investigate the relation between OSAS and different variants of the ApoE gene, and to identify other risk factors that may affect the development of the disease. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two patients with OSAS and 50 healthy volunteers were enrolled into the study. After collecting the necessary information associated with OSAS from the individuals, DNA was isolated from blood. ε2, ε3 and ε4 variants of Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene were investigated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: When the groups were compared with each other, age, body mass index, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, neck circumference, waist circumference, apnea hypopnea index, Epworth sleepiness scale, smoking, and daytime sleepiness were found statistically significant. The ε2 variant was found statistically high in the control group. Also, waist circumference, triglyceride and LDL levels were found statistically low in individuals with the ε2 genotype. In addition, triglyceride levels were found statistically high in individuals with the ε4 genotype. Conclusion: The presence of the ε2 variant in healthy individuals may have a protective effect against OSAS. In addition, the relation between different variants of ApoE with LDL and triglyceride levels demonstrates the overlap of genotype and phenotype data