Soluble cytokine receptor levels in obstructive sleep apnea patients treated with continuous positive airway pressure therapy
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Aims: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an established therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but how CPAP compliance changes inflammation/cytokine activation remains unclear. Materials and methods: Plasma from patients with OSA (n = 50) and control subjects (n = 6) were subjected to soluble cytokine receptor profiles – an index of cytokine activation. Results: With OSA, plasma levels of sCD30, sEGFR, sIL1RII, and sVEGFR2 increased by over 2-fold (p < 0.05). In CPAP-compliant patients (n = 22), Plasma levels of sCD30, sEGFR, sIL1RI, sIL1RII, sIL2Ra, sVEGFR1, and sVEGFR2 decreased in CPAP compliant patients (n = 22) after 90 d of CPAP, whereas in CPAP non-compliant patients (n = 28), these soluble cytokine profiles remained unchanged. Conclusions: These results identified that a specific set of soluble cytokine receptors, including sCD30, sEGFR, sIL1RII, and sVEGFR2, may serve as indices of cytokine activation in patients with OSA and also identify therapeutic response such as CPAP. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is often used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA has been associated with cytokine activity. However, how much CPAP alters cytokine levels in OSA patients is poorly understood. In this study, we found that patients with OSA have increased cytokine levels. In these same patients, cytokines were decreased after CPAP treatment. This suggests that CPAP may decrease cytokine activity in patients with OSA. Obstructive sleep apnea can cause a feed-forward effect on inflammatory processes. Soluble cytokine receptors act as a more stable indicator of cytokine activation, therefore inflammation. The use of soluble cytokine receptors to characterize inflammation is relatively novel in OSA. This study analyzed paired samples of 50 patients with OSA before and after 90 d of CPAP therapy. At baseline an increase in sCD30, sEGFR, sIL1RII, and sVEGFR2 was observed in patients with OSA in comparison to referent control. In patients with OSA who were compliant to CPAP therapy, a decrease in sCD30, sEGFR, sILRI, sIL1RII, sIL2Ra, sVEGFR1, and sVEGFR2 was observed at 90-d follow-up. In patients with OSA who were not compliant to CPAP therapy, no changes were observed at 90-d follow-up. Expansion of this study with a larger sample size and more frequent collection intervals is required to confirm these findings on a larger scale.
Source: Figshare
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7129764382