NCT07129486

Intermittent-Hypoxia Inhibits Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Formation: Role of Cathelicidins

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 120 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Kun-Ta Chou · Other Government
• Sex: All
• Age: 20 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The study will enroll 80 moderate-to-severe Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients (40 obese) and 40 age-, gender-, and body mass index-matched controls. Venous blood will be collected to isolate neutrophils, which will be tested for the ability to produce neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) along with the levels of LL-37 and NETs products in the blood. Measurements will be repeat after three months treatment for OSA.

Detailed description

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by repetitive upper airway collapse during sleep, thereby leading to intermittent hypoxia (IH). Literature revealed OSA confers a higher risk for poor infection outcomes, suggestive of defective immunity in those patients. This research aimed to investigate whether IH inhibits neutrophils to produce neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) via Cathelicidins (LL-37). The human study will enroll 80 moderate-to-severe OSA patients (40 obese) and 40 age-, gender-, and body mass index-matched controls. Venous blood will be collected to isolate neutrophils, which receive either IH treatment (1% O2 for 35 mins and 21% for 25 mins per cycle, 3 cycles) or normoxic treatment. The neutrophils will be tested for the ability to produce NETs along with the levels of LL-37 and NETs products in the blood. Measurements will be repeat three months after the mainstay continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

Conditions

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	CPAP	Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the standard treatment for moderate to severe OSA in clinical practice.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-09-01
• Primary completion: 2028-07-01
• Completion: 2028-07-01
• First posted: 2025-08-19
• Last updated: 2025-09-11

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Taiwan