Role of nitric oxide synthase gene intron 4 and exon 7 polymorphisms in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

The objective of our study was to assess the association of eNOS4 and eNOS296 polymorphisms of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Forty-eight patients with OSAS and 181 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Genotype analyses were performed for eNOS intron 4 VNTR and exon 7, Glu298Asp (G --> T) polymorphisms. There was no significant difference between the patients and controls regarding eNOS4 polymorphism (P > 0.05). There was a significant difference between the patients and controls regarding eNOS296 polymorphism. Glu/Asp variant was more frequent whereas Glu/Glu variant was less frequent in the patients compared to controls (P < 0.001). There was no relationship between eNOS4 and eNOS296 polymorphisms and polysomnography parameters, apnea-hypopnea index, age, gender, body weight and height, body mass index, hypertension, coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia and smoking (P > 0.05). The eNOS4 polymorphism of NOS gene is not associated with OSAS. However, eNOS296 polymorphism of NOS gene is associated with occurrence of OSAS, but not with severity of OSAS.