title: Factors associated with hypertrophy of the lingual tonsils in adults with sleep-disordered breathing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study shows factors affecting lingual tonsil hypertrophy (LTH) in sleep-disordered breathing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the factors associated with LTH in adults with sleep-disordered breathing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-seven adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea, who visited the Department of Otorhinolaryngology sleep clinic, were included from February 2009 through August 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients underwent WatchPAT (peripheral arterial tone) examination, endoscopic examination of the upper airway, simple skull lateral radiography, and cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sleep study of the upper airway tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prognostic factors indicating LTH in adults with sleep-disordered breathing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 97 subjects were included in this study. The median (interquartile range) apnea hypopnea index was 16.5/h (7.6/h-27.5/h). The median (interquartile range) thickness of the lingual tonsils as measured by MRI was 3.6 mm (1.9-5.2 mm) and 4.9 mm (2.9-6.7 mm) in the midline and paramidline of the tongue base, respectively (P < .001). Laryngopharyngeal reflux (reflux finding score >7) was present in 32 patients. The endoscopic grade of LTH agreed with the radiographic grade (κ = 0.731; P < .001). Lingual tonsil thickness as measured by MRI was correlated with the endoscopic grade of LTH (P < .001). Multivariate analysis revealed that laryngopharyngeal reflux (P < .001) and body mass index (P = .046) were independently significant factors associated with LTH as measured by MRI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reflux finding score and body mass index were significantly associated with LTH in adults with sleep-disordered breathing, whereas the respiratory parameters were not associated with LTH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Myung-Whun
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Woo Hyun
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jee Hye
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.forename: Chul Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eunhee
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong-Whun
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002508:Cephalometry; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric