To evaluate whether parameters of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) associate with
cholesterol metabolism before and after
weight reduction, 42 middle-aged
overweight subjects with mild OSA were randomised to intensive lifestyle intervention (N = 23) or to control group (N = 18) with routine lifestyle counselling only.
Cholesterol metabolism was evaluated with serum noncholesterol
sterol ratios to
cholesterol,
surrogate markers of
cholesterol absorption (
cholestanol and
plant sterols) and synthesis (cholestenol,
desmosterol, and
lathosterol) at baseline and after 1-year intervention. At baseline, arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2 ) was associated with serum
campesterol (P < 0.05) and inversely with
desmosterol ratios (P < 0.001) independently of gender, BMI, and homeostasis model assessment index of
insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) was not associated with
cholesterol metabolism.
Weight reduction significantly increased SaO2 and serum
cholestanol and decreased AHI and serum cholestenol ratios. In the groups combined, the changes in AHI were inversely associated with changes of
cholestanol and positively with cholestenol ratios independent of gender and the changes of BMI and HOMA-IR (P < 0.05). In conclusion, mild OSA seemed to be associated with
cholesterol metabolism independent of BMI and HOMA-IR.
Weight reduction increased the markers of
cholesterol absorption and decreased those of
cholesterol synthesis in the
overweight subjects with mild OSA.