Selected Biomarkers in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Before
and After Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment
İbrahim Arslan1*, Hülya Eyigör1, Kadir Çetin1, Ömer Tarık Selçuk1,
Serkan Özben2, Tomris Özben3 and Hatice Yılmazçoban1
1 Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Department of Ear Nose and Throat,
Antalya, Turkey
2Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Department of Neurology, Antalya,
Turkey
3Akdeniz University Hospital, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Antalya, Turkey
*Corresponding Author: İbrahim Arslan, Antalya Education and Research Hospital,
Department of Ear Nose and Throat, Antalya, Turkey.
Received:
January 01, 2026; Published: January 29, 2026
Abstract
Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and arrhythmia,
metabolic diseases such as diabetes, and cerebrovascular diseases such as thromboembolism. Continuous positive airway pressure
(CPAP) is effectively used in the treatment of patients with moderate and severe OSAS. In this study, we aimed to measure serum
biomarker levels of nesfatin-1, salusin alpha, salusin beta, and galectin-3 in patients with moderate and severe OSAS, evaluate their
relationship with disease severity, and examine the changes in these biomarkers after a long-term CPAP therapy.
Method: A two-center prospective study was performed. A total of 23 patients diagnosed with OSA were included in this study. A
control group was formed with 21 healthy volunteers. Serum concentration levels of nesfatin-1, salusin alpha and beta, and galectin-3
were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The patients who received CPAP therapy were followed
up every three months for one year, and their compliance with treatment was measured using the internal data stores of the CPAP
device.
Results: In this study, we found nesfatin-1, salusin alfa, salusin beta and galectin-3 levels were significantly lower in patients with
OSAS compared to the healthy controls (p = 0.025, p = 0.049, p = 0.002 and p = 0.043, respectively). There was a statistically significant
negative relationship between Apnea-Hipopnea Index (AHI) and the nesfatin-1 levels (p = 0,006). There was also no significant
change in biomarker levels among the patients with OSAS before CPAP and after 12 months of therapy (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: The data of our study show a clear negative correlation between nesfatin-1, salusin alfa, salusin beta, galectin-3
levels and OSAS. Furthermore, serum nesfatin-1 levels were negatively correlated with the presence of OSAS and AHI score. Serum
nesfatin-1 level may be use of as a new biomarker for early detection and risk assesment of OSAS and its severity. CPAP treatment did
not alter levels of these circulating markers.
Keywords: Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; Nesfatin-1; Salusin Alfa; Salusin Beta;
Galectin-3
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