This tiny peptide could help us test for poor sleep

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-09-03 04:00

International

What does this mean?

Jump to: MultimediaAttachmentsExpert Reaction

International researchers have identified a marker in the blood that could one day be used to test for poor sleep quality. The team tested the blood of 58 people with obstructive sleep apnoea, as well as 20 healthy people as a control group. They found levels of pLL-37 in the blood, a peptide that works as part of the immune system, was much lower in people with severe sleep apnoea than in healthy people. The team says this peptide could be a good measure of sleep quality, as well as the immune vulnerability and infection risk for people with obstructive sleep apnoea.