Comparison between tongue base and soft palate obstruction in obstructive sleep apnea.
CONCLUSIONS
In obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), respiratory disturbances are more serious in tongue base-associated obstructions (TBOs) than in soft palate-associated obstructions (SPOs), and the proportion of TBO was predicted by average duration of apnea and hypopnea, and inversely by percentage time of snoring.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the polysomnographic characteristics of two main obstruction sites of OSAS, the soft palate and tongue base, and to identify those variables correlated with tongue base obstructions in patients with OSAS.


METHODS
Thirty-one patients (28 men and 3 women) with OSAS were enrolled in this study. To identify airway obstruction levels upper airway pressure manometry was applied during polysomnography. Airway obstructions were categorized as SPO and TBO by observing pressure patterns. All analyses of events were performed in the supine position.


RESULTS
Average duration of apnea and hypopnea, percentage of apnea among apnea-hypopneas, average O(2) desaturation, and percentage of event-related arousals were significantly higher in TBOs compared with SPOs (all p<0.05). The percentage of TBO among total obstructions (TBO%) was independently associated with average duration of apnea and hypopnea (=0.38, p<0.05) and percentage time of snoring (=-0.44, p<0.01) (adjusted R(2)=30%, p<0.01).
Kim
Jeong-Whun
JW
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
Yoon
In Young
IY
Chung
Seockhoon
S
Lee
Chul Hee
CH
Moon
Sung Joong
SJ
Yun
Pil Young
PY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017286:Polysomnography; D011312:Pressure; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012913:Snoring; D013997:Time Factors; D014059:Tongue / Q000503:physiopathology*