Circulating ADAMTS13 Levels Are Associated with an Increased Occurrence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Background and Aims. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is strongly associated with obesity, metabolic diseases, coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, hypertension, and other disorders. This study assessed the relationship between circulating a disintegrin and metalloprotease with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS13) levels and the presence of OSA. Materials and Methods. This cross-sectional study included a total of 223 patients. We used a powerful high-throughput multiplexed immunobead-based assay to detect circulating levels of ADAMTS13. The associations between circulating ADAMTS13 levels and OSA were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results. Circulating ADAMTS13 levels were significantly elevated in patients with OSA compared with controls (0.8 vs. 2.7 μg/mL, respectively, P<0.001 ). After adjusting for confounding factors, circulating ADAMTS13 levels were significantly independently associated with the presence of OSA ( odds ratio=9.96 , 95% confidence interval (CI) =4.11–24.13, P<0.001 ). Furthermore, circulating ADAMTS13 levels showed discriminatory accuracy in assessing the presence of OSA (area under the curve: 0.87, 95% CI 0.81–0.93, P<0.001 ). Conclusion. Circulating ADAMTS13 levels were significantly correlated with the presence of OSA. ADAMTS13 may therefore function as a novel biomarker for monitoring the development and progression of OSA.