Cross-Sectional Analysis of Hypoxia-Regulated , , HIF-1α, and SIRT1 in the Development of Type 2 Diabetes in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Preliminary Study.

: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is recognized as an independent risk factor for diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) development, which is twice as common in patients with OSA compared to non-OSA patients. : This study aimed to investigate changes in oxygen metabolism and their role in T2DM development among OSA patients through epigenetic processes via , , and enzymatic processes via SIRT1 and HIF-1α. : Based on polysomnography, apnea-hypopnea index and the presence of T2DM patients were divided into three groups: control group ( = 17), OSA group ( = 11), OSA&T2DM ( = 20) group. Total RNA was extracted from the buffy coat. Moreover, HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance) was counted. : Morning expression was significantly higher in the OSA&T2DM group than in the control group: 67.618 vs. 32.685 ( = 0.036). Evening expression was significantly higher in the OSA group than in the control group: 5.043 vs. 2.081 ( = 0.042), while its morning expression was significantly higher in the OSA&T2DM group when compared to the control: 4.065 vs. 1.605 ( = 0.036). evening expression revealed a negative correlation with the SIRT1 evening and morning expressions (R = -0.367, = 0.010 and R = -0.405, = 0.004, respectively). Moreover, morning was positively correlated with HOMA-IR (R = 0.321, = 0.034). evening expression presented a moderate positive correlation with the morning expressions (R = 0.48, < 0.001) and HOMA-IR (R = 0.35, = 0.02). : Patients suffering from OSA and T2DM had an increased expression of . Moreover, a negative correlation between and expression was observed, while a correlation between and insulin resistance was positive. This phenomenon might suggest a possible epigenetic pathway for an increased incidence of T2DM in OSA patients however further research is needed.