Background: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a chronic sleep-related breathing
disorder and a recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease, characterized by
intermittent hypoxemia and systemic inflammation. This work assessed the
relationship between OSA severity and easily accessible hematologic inflammatory
markers. Methods: A case–control study was performed on 50 newly diagnosed OSA
patients (Apnea–Hypopnea Index [AHI] >5/h) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy
controls. All subjects underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG), followed by
fasting venous sampling for C-reactive protein (CRP), complete blood count (CBC),
and derived indices including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-
(MLR), platelet- (PLR) to-lymphocyte ratios, systemic inflammation response index
(SIRI), and aggregated index of systemic inflammation (AISI). Results: Compared
with controls, OSA patients exhibited higher CRP, white blood cells (WBCs),
neutrophils, lymphocytes, SIRI, and AISI, with lower PLR (all p3 mg/L
predicted OSA (AUC=0.723) and moderate–severe disease (AUC=0.851). Independent
predictors of OSA included CRP, WBCs, neutrophils, and lymphocytes (OR=5.82,
1.82, 3.05, 4.68; p=0.013, 0.031, 0.028, 0.038; respectively). Predictors of moderate–
severe OSA were NLR, MLR, SIRI, CRP, and reduced lymphocytes (OR=4.09, 4.74,
6.87, 1.38, 0.21; p=0.014, 0.005, 0.041, 0.018, 0.002; respectively). Conclusion:
Elevated CRP and CBC-derived indices, particularly NLR, SIRI, MLR, and AISI,
serve as independent predictors of OSA and its severity, highlighting their value as
simple, inexpensive, and clinically useful markers for screening and risk stratification. |
