Endothelial Function in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Summary

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition that affects a quarter of the Western adults, triples the risk for cardiovascular diseases and increases all-cause mortality. Intermittent hypoxia (IH) during transient cessation of breathing in OSA leads to endothelial inflammation, a key step in the initiation and progression of cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanisms that mediate IH-induced endothelial inflammation remain unclear and, consequently, no targeted therapy is available for vascular manifestations of OSA. Using endothelial cells (ECs) freshly harvested from OSA patients, they study team has identified impaired complement inhibition as an initial stimulus for endothelial inflammation in IH, thereby linking for the first time complement activation to vascular risk in OSA. The investigators found that a major complement inhibitor cluster of differentiation (CD59), a plasma membrane protein that inhibits the formation of the terminal complement membrane attack complex (MAC) and protects host cells from complement injury, is internalized from the EC surface in OSA patients. Consequent MAC deposition initiates endothelial inflammation in IH. Importantly, the investigators showed that IH does not significantly affect inflammation in ECs in the absence of complement, suggesting that complement activation has an essential role in endothelial inflammation in OSA. Interestingly, internalization of CD59 in IH appears to be cholesterol-dependent and statins prevent MAC deposition on ECs in IH in a CD59-dependent manner, suggesting a novel therapeutic strategy to reduce vascular risk in OSA. This led the study team to hypothesize that IH-induced cellular cholesterol accumulation reduces complement inhibition via increased internalization of CD59 from the EC surface leading to increased MAC deposition, and that treatment of OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and/or statins reverses endothelial dysfunction by restoring complement inhibition.

Conditions

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea of Adult

Interventions

DRUG

Atorvastatin 10mg

Atorvastatin 10 mg daily for 28 days will be randomly allocated to OSA patients regardless of adherence with CPAP. CPAP is a standard of care for OSA and will be prescribed by care providers not associated with this study based on clinical indications. The investigators will have no role in prescribing CPAP. Atorvastatin and placebo will be encapsulated to appear identical and dispensed by the research pharmacy.

DRUG

Placebo

Placebo daily for 28 days will be randomly allocated to OSA patients regardless of adherence with CPAP. CPAP is a standard of care for OSA and will be prescribed by care providers not associated with this study based on clinical indications. The investigators will have no role in prescribing CPAP. Atorvastatin and placebo will be encapsulated to appear identical and dispensed by the research pharmacy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

  collaborator NIH

• Columbia University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Sanja Jelic, MD · Columbia University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

QUADRUPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-09-01

Primary Completion

2020-01-30

Completion

2021-05-07

FDA Drug

Yes

Countries

• United States

Study Locations