Myocardial Perfusion by Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography and Endothelial Dysfunction in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We investigated myocardial perfusion using real-time quantitative myocardial contrast echocardiography with concurrent assessment of macrovascular and microvascular endothelial dysfunction in normotensive subjects with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea, who were compared with hypertensive and healthy subjects, as well as the impact of continuous positive airway pressure treatment on obstructive sleep apnea subjects. We measured flow (hyperemia)-mediated dilation and response to glyceryl trinitrate of brachial artery (ultrasound), cutaneous perfusion responses to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside (laser Doppler), pulse wave velocity, and circulating endothelial and endothelial progenitor cells in a total of 108 subjects (n=36 each of matched obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and healthy cohorts). Subjects with obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension demonstrated abnormal myocardial perfusion (P