Aim of the study: To analyze the oxidase activity of ceruloplasmin (CP) along with copper concentrations, in the blood of different stage obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients.
Material and methods: Sixty normoglycemic males aged 35-65 without any acute or chronic disease were included into the study. EMBLA S4000 system was used to establish the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) and to divide patients into groups: OSA1 with AHI 5-15 (n = 20); OSA2 with AHI 16-30
(n = 20); OSA3 with AHI ≥ 31 (n = 20). The control group (n = 22) had no OSA suspicion. Fasting plasma lipid profile, serum insulin, plasma ceruloplasmin concentration (Cp-c), serum copper (Cu) concentrations and oxidase activity of plasma ceruloplasmin (Cp-oa) by Schosinsky’s method were estimated.
Results: 1. All three OSA groups did not differ in systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure and Cp-c. Increased Cp-oa was observed in OSA-1 and OSA-2 groups, although the increased Cu was observed in OSA-1, then decreased Cu was found in OSA-2 and OSA-3.
2. OSA-1 patients were found to show positive relationships between Cp-oa and SBP, DBP and Cu, of which SBP correlated independently from others. In OSA-2 group, Cp-oa was rather affected by AHI. OSA-3 subjects presented positive correlations of SBP&BMI and SBP&AHI with an independent influence of AHI.
Conclusions: We suggest some mobilization of plasma CP activity in early stages of OSA. The oxidase activity of plasma ceruloplasmin in normoglycemic OSA patients may reflect some compensation for an increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system (elevated blood pressure) until there is severe OSA pathology.