Neuroimaging consequences of cerebral small vessel disease in patients with obstructive sleep apnea–hypopnea syndrome

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between severity of obstructive sleep apnea–hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and the neuroimaging consequences of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). METHODS: Patients with OSAHS and age‐ and gender‐matched healthy control subjects completed the mini‐mental state examination and underwent an evoked‐related potential study and overnight polysomnographic monitoring. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed to detect markers of silent cerebral SVD, including Virchow–Robin spaces (VRS) rated on a five‐point scale, white matter lesions, lacunar infarcts, and deep microbleeds. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine the associations of the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) and arousal index (AI) values, mean oxyhemoglobin saturation, the duration of snoring history, and MRI markers of small vessel disease with the incidence of enlarged VRS. RESULTS: The study included 72 patients with severe OSAHS and 53 volunteers without OSAHS. The duration of snoring history ranged from 5 to 22 years in the OSAHS group. Smaller P3 amplitudes at Cz were found in OSAHS patients than control subjects (p < .05), which is associated with neurocognitive impairment. Enlarged VRS were more prevalent in the basal ganglia and centrum semiovale of patients with OSAHS than in the control group. No significant between‐group differences were observed in the number of white matter lesions, lacunar infarcts, and deep microbleeds. Enlarged VRS were positively correlated with AHI and AI values in the OSAHS group (r = .63, p < .001; r = .55, p < .001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Silent cerebral SVD was more prevalent in patients with OSAHS than in the controls. Enlarged VRS observed in the basal ganglia and centrum semiovale were positively correlated with severity of OSAHS, which may contribute to cognitive impairment.