Nocturnal oxyhaemoglobin desaturation and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1(PAI-1) and nocturnal oxyhaemoglobin desaturation in hypertensive patients (pts).We included 40 hypertensive pts free of coronary artery disease; heart failure; pulmonary diseases. All pts underwent overnight finger pulse oximeter. Oxyhaemoglobin desaturation > 3% was considered significant. Pts with oxyhaemoglobin desaturation index (ODI) >= 5/h consisted group I and pts with ODI < 5/h entered group II. PAI-l(U/mL) levels were measured before and immediately after bicycle exercise test. There were 18 pts in group I (age 53.31 +/- 8.48; 10 male) and 22 pts in group II (age 52.48 +/- 7.32;14 male). Groups were similar in demographic and clinical characteristics. PAI-l levels were significantly higher in group I compared to group II before (3.28 +/- 1.0 U/mL vs 2.36 +/- 0.71U/mL, p=0.041) as well as after exercise (3.18 +/- 0.78 U/mL vs 2.27 +/- 0.46 U/mL, p=0.009). It could be concluded that nocturnal oxyhaemglobin desaturation > 3% is significantly associated with higher PAI-1 levels before and after exercise test in hypertensive patients.