title: Airway observations during upper endoscopy predicting obstructive sleep apnea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This pilot study examined airway characteristics during upper endoscopy to determine who is at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients undergoing routine upper endoscopy were divided into 2 groups according to the Berlin Questionnaire (high and low risk for sleep disordered breathing). Patients underwent routine upper endoscopy using propofol sedation. The airway was then evaluated for no, partial, or complete collapse at the levels of the palate/uvula/tonsils, the tongue base, the hypopharynx, and the larynx. They were given a score of 0 for no collapse, 1 for partial collapse, and 2 for complete collapse. The score for each of these levels was added to give a total score or severity index. The larynx was also evaluated for lateral pharyngeal collapse (minimal, up to 50%, >50%, or 100%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that patients with a partial obstruction at the level of the palate/uvula/tonsils, tongue base, hypopharynx, or larynx, or complete obstruction at any level more often had a positive Berlin questionnaire. Patients with a positive Berlin questionnaire were more often of increased weight (mean 197 vs 175 lbs, P=0.19), increased body mass index (31.2 vs 27.42 kg/m2, P=0.11), increased neck circumference (36.7 vs 34.7 cm, P=0.23), and had a higher total airway score (2.61 vs 1.67, P=0.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our pilot study represent preliminary data regarding the use of upper endoscopy as a potential tool to evaluate patients for obstructive sleep apnea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (Glenn Harvin, Eslam Ali, Amit Raina, William Leland), USA.
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Harvin
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (Glenn Harvin, Eslam Ali, Amit Raina, William Leland), USA.
authors.forename: Eslam
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (Glenn Harvin, Eslam Ali, Amit Raina, William Leland), USA.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raina
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (Glenn Harvin, Eslam Ali, Amit Raina, William Leland), USA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Leland
authors.affiliation: Vidant Medical Center (Sabeen Abid, Zaid Vahora, Hossein Movahed, Sumyra Kachru, Rick Tee), USA.
authors.forename: Sabeen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abid
authors.affiliation: Vidant Medical Center (Sabeen Abid, Zaid Vahora, Hossein Movahed, Sumyra Kachru, Rick Tee), USA.
authors.forename: Zahid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vahora
authors.affiliation: Vidant Medical Center (Sabeen Abid, Zaid Vahora, Hossein Movahed, Sumyra Kachru, Rick Tee), USA.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Movahed
authors.affiliation: Vidant Medical Center (Sabeen Abid, Zaid Vahora, Hossein Movahed, Sumyra Kachru, Rick Tee), USA.
authors.forename: Sumyra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kachru
authors.affiliation: Vidant Medical Center (Sabeen Abid, Zaid Vahora, Hossein Movahed, Sumyra Kachru, Rick Tee), USA.
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tee
keywords: Berlin questionnaire; Upper endoscopy; airway; sleep apnea