APNEA-HYPOPNEA INDEX AND CAROTID ATHEROMATOSIS

Objective: Verify the relationship between degrees severity of the apnea-hypopnea index and carotid atheromatous disease; identify risk factors in individuals with pathological apnea-hypopnea index and carotid atheromatous disease. Design and method: Observational, longitudinal, retrospective and quantitative study of a non-probabilistic convenience sample consisting of 67 adult individuals with diagnosed sleep apnea, submitted to a polysomnographic study and cervical triplex scan, in two years in a district hospital. Results: In a sample of 67 individuals, 37 male and 30 female, aged between 35 and 82 years, with an average age of 61.90 ± 12.594 years. In the degrees severity of the apnea-hypopnea index, it was observed that 14 individuals had mild degree (20.9%), 23 moderate degree (34.3%) and 30 severe degree (44.8%). One-fifth of the sample (n = 20, 29.9%) had intima-media thickening (>1mm). In the relationship between the intima-media index and the degrees of severity of the apnea-hypopnea index, it was found that of the 20 individuals (29.9%) with thickening, more than half (n = 11, 16.4%) had an severe apnea index - hypopnea. With moderate degree, 6 individuals (9.0%) and mild degree 3 individuals (4.5%) (p = 0.523). In cervical triplex scan results, 39 individuals (58.2%) had carotid atheromatosis without hemodynamic repercussions, 2 (3%) had severe stenosis and 1 (1.5%) had pre-occlusive stenosis. From the total number of individuals with atheromatous disease, 25 (37.3%) had a severe apnea - hypopnea index, 17 (25.4%) had a moderate apnea - hypopnea index and 4 (6.0%) had apnea - hypopnea index mild (p = 0.029). The most frequent risk factor in the 46 individuals with the two pathologies under study were arterial hypertension (n = 36, 53.7%), dyslipidemia (n = 26, 38.8%) and diabetes mellitus (n = 20, 29.8%). Conclusions: Individuals with moderate and severe degrees of the apnea-hypopnea index have a significant relationship with the phases of more advanced atheromatous disease, however, there is an increase in the frequency of more severe degrees of the apnea-hypopnea index in individuals with atheromatous disease in the early stages. The most prevalent risk factors in individuals with sleep apnea and carotid atheromatous pathology are male gender, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus.