Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a rather frequent disorder affecting 2%-4% of the general population. Large cohort studies have confirmed that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including myocardial infarction, hypertension, stroke and so on. For example, Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS) demonstrated that the prevalence of CVD (including myocardial infarction, angina, coronary revascularization, heart failure, stroke) was 1.42 times greater in patients with OSA (apnea/hypopnea index (AHI)＞11 events/hour) than in those without OSA.1 However, the exact mechanisms linking sleep apnea to cardiovascular morbidity remain unclear. Two studies2,3 published in this issue of the Joal measured a series of subclinical inflammatory factors in patients with OSA, and added new evidence linking sleep apnea to cardiovascular morbidity.