title: Correlation between the Friedman Staging System and the upper airway volume in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to evaluate the correlation between computed tomography findings and data from the physical examination and the Friedman Staging System (FSS) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective evaluation by reviewing the medical records of 33 patients (19 male and 14 female patients) with a mean body mass index of 30.38 kg/m(2) and mean age of 49.35 years. Among these patients, 14 presented with severe OSA, 7 had moderate OSA, 7 had mild OSA, and 5 were healthy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the FSS: Group A comprised patients with FSS stage I or II, and group B comprised patients with FSS stage III. By use of the Fisher exact test, a positive relationship between the FSS stage and apnea-hypopnea index (P = .011) and between the FSS stage and body mass index (P = .012) was found. There was no correlation between age (P = .55) and gender (P = .53) with the FSS stage. The analysis of variance test comparing the upper airway volume between the 2 groups showed P = .018.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample the FSS and upper airway volume showed an inverse correlation and were useful in analyzing the mechanisms of airway collapse in patients with OSA.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Otolaryngology Division, Medical School, University of Araraquara-UNIARA, Araraquara, Brazil. Electronic address: passeri@fcm.unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Marcos Marques
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Professor, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Diagnosis and Surgery, Dental School at Araraquara-UNESP, Araraquara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mário Francisco
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Real Gabrielli
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Resident, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Diagnosis and Surgery, Dental School at Araraquara-UNESP, Araraquara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Evenson Raphael
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Júlio Américo Pereira
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Batatinha
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Diagnosis and Surgery, Dental School at Araraquara-UNESP, Araraquara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valfrido Antonio
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Pereira Filho
authors.affiliation: Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medical Sciences-UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis Augusto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Passeri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D010808:Physical Examination; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014059:Tongue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology