Association of Aminotransferase Levels with Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with several metabolic disorders. The hypoxia due to OSA can alter liver function and increases the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatic necrosis. Serum aminotransferase levels are predictive factors for liver injury. In this study we aimed to evaluate association between serum aminotransferase levels and severity of OSA.

Materials and Methods: Sixty six patients who their OSA disorder was confirmed with PSG entered the study. All patients had Body Mass Index (BMI) above 30. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in a group of 33 patients with severe OSA (AHI≥30) were compared to 33 patients with mild OSA (5<AHI<15). We also searched for correlation between factors of hypoxemia such as apnea hypopnea index (AHI), Oxygen Desaturation Index (ODI) and percentage of time spent with SPO2<90% (%T<90) with serum aminotransferase levels.

Results: Mean levels of AST were (21.33±8.62) and (21.15±9.39) in severe and mild group respectively. Mean levels of ALT were also measured as (24.24±14.07) and (19.82±9.74) in severe and mild group respectively. The levels of AST and ALT were not significantly different in these two groups (P-value=0.935), (P-value = 0.142). Mean ODI in severe and mild group was (56.33±26.97) (14.00±10.46) (P-value <0.001) and T<90% was (33) 100% and (14) 42.4% (P-value <0.001) respectively which were significantly higher in severe group.

Conclusion: The results from this study showed no significant correlation between serum aminotransferase levels and severity of OSA.