Can anatomical and functional features in the upper airways predict sleep apnea? A population-based study in females.
CONCLUSIONS
The importance of clinical findings in the nose and throat, including fiberoptic endoscopy during the Muller maneuver, in predicting sleep apnea is greater in normal-weight than in overweight women.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to identify clinical features that could predict sleep apnea in women.


METHODS
From 6817 women who previously answered a questionnaire concerning snoring habits, 230 women who reported habitual snoring and 170 women from the whole cohort went through a full-night polysomnography. A nose and throat examination including fiber endoscopic evaluation of the upper airways during the Muller maneuver was performed in a random selection of 132 women aged 20-70 years.


RESULTS
Sleep apnea was defined as an apnea-hypopnea index of > or = 10. The influence of clinical features on the prevalence of sleep apnea varied between normal-weight and overweight women. A low soft palate, retrognathia, the uvula touching the posterior pharyngeal wall in the supine position, and a 75% or more collapse at the soft palate during the Muller maneuver were all significant predictors of sleep apnea in women with a body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg/m2 but not in overweight women.
Svensson
Malin
M
Department of Surgical Sciences, Otolaryngology and Head- and Neck Surgery, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. malin.l.svensson@akademiska.se
Holmstrom
Mats
M
Broman
Jan-Erik
JE
Lindberg
Eva
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000503:physiopathology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000503:physiopathology; D017286:Polysomnography; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000502:physiology; D063173:Retrognathia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012913:Snoring / Q000503:physiopathology; D013548:Sweden; D014609:Uvula / Q000503:physiopathology