The Change of Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

The levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced interleukin 6 (IL 6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α) expression in culture of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the plasma levels of IL 6 and TNF α in the patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) were measured and the relationship between OSAS and IL 6 or TNF α expression studied. Both IL 6 and TNF α were detected by using ELISA in 22 patients with OSAS and 16 normal controls. The levels of LPS induced IL 6 (787.82±151.97 pg/ml) and TNF α (4165.45±1501.43 pg/ml) expression in the supernatant of the culture of PBMC and plasma level of IL 6 (50.67±4.70 pg/ml) and TNF α (299.09±43.57 pg/ml) in the patients with OSAS were significantly higher than those in the normal controls (in the supernatant of the culture of PBMC: 562.69±197.54 pg/ml and 1596.25±403.08 pg/ml respectively; in the plasma: 12.69±2.75 pg/ml and 101.88±21.27 pg/ml respectively). There were significantly positive correlation between the levels of IL 6 and TNF α and the percentage of time of apnea and hyponea, as well as the percentage of time spending at SaO 2 below 90 % in the total sleep time. It was concluded that LPS induced IL 6 and TNF α levels as well as plasma IL 6 and TNF α levels in the patients with OSAS were up regulated, which may be associated with the pathogenesis of OSAS.