Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, plasma adiponectin levels, and insulin resistance

Abstract

Sleep-disordered breathing was associated with insulin resistance independent of obesity. Although plasma adiponectin was also an independent determinant of HOMA-IR in OSAS patients, plasma adiponectin was more closely related to obesity than to sleep apnoea. Although treatment of sleep-disordered breathing with nasal continuous positive airway pressure reportedly improves insulin sensitivity, our findings suggest that treatment of obesity is also essential in ameliorating insulin resistance at least through increased plasma adiponectin levels in OSAS.