Abstract 2174: Increased Platelet Aggregability In Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Patients Is Improved By Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment

Background and aim: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases. One cause for them is an occlusive arterial thrombus triggered by local platelet activation. Whether OSA is an independent risk factor for increased platelet aggregability is unclear. Methods: We enrolled 124 patients with snoring or daytime sleepiness in whom 3% oxygen desaturation index (3%ODI), a principal marker of the severity of intermittent hypoxia and reoxygenation (IHR), was measured. We studied ex vivo ADP- and collagen-induced aggregation of platelet-rich plasma using an optical aggregometer. The agonist concentration giving half maximal aggregation was defined as the platelet-aggregation threshold index (PATI) value. Therefore, the lower PATI value implicates the higher aggregability. In 23 patients who underwent nasal CPAP, platelet aggregability was followed until 90 days. Results: There was a significant difference in the PATI value for ADP-induced aggregation between 66 patients with non-to-mild OSA (3%ODI≤15) (1.04±0.07 μM, mean±SE) and 58 patients with moderate-to-severe OSA(3%ODI>15) (0.78±0.09 μM)(p=0.029). Multiple linear model revealed that 3%ODI strongly significantly contributed to the PATI values for ADP (p<0.001) and collagen (p=0.0026) among the 59 subjects with a cardiovascular risk factor such as smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus or hyperlipidemia. However, the percentage of time of arterial O2 saturation<90% during sleep did not significantly contribute to the PATI values for ADP (p=0.21) and collagen (p=0.20). After initiation of nasal CPAP therapy, the PATI values for ADP-induced aggregation significantly worsened transiently on day 30 (p=0.035), and then it recovered and improved at day 90 and the PATI for collagen-induced aggregation improved at day 90 without the transient exacerbation. Conclusions: OSA patients had increased platelet aggregability. Severity of IHR more significantly contributed to platelet aggregation than total hypoxic time. Among OSA patients with conventional cardiovascular risk factors, the effects of IHR on the platelet aggregability was prominent. Nasal CPAP initially induced a transient hyperaggregable state of platelets, after which it continued to improve.