TNF and autoimmune disease: Additionally, the specificity of C-reactive protein and inflammatory cytokines (e.g. tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6) for OSAS seems to be low because of the high basal levels of these substances in patients with inflammatory disease, autoimmune disease, and many other diseases (Sharma et al. 2008;Dinarello 1991;Feldmann and Maini 2001;Ishihara and Hirano 2002).