Abstract
ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to explore the differences in upper airway morphology between positional (POSA) and non-positional (NPOSA) obstructive sleep apnea.MethodsThis retrospective study enrolled 75 patients (45 NPOSA and 30 POSA) who underwent polysomnography (PSG) and computed tomography (CT). The differences in, and relationships of, the PSG values and CT data between POSA and NPOSA were analyzed.ResultsSignificant (p < 0.05) differences between the two groups were found in the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), lateral-AHI (L-AHI), soft palate length (SPL), cross-sectional palatopharyngeal area, and the coronal diameter (CD) of the palatopharyngeal area at the narrowest part of the glossopharynx, which were all higher in POSA, except for SPL, AHI, and L-AHI. L-AHI was correlated with the cross-sectional area (r = − 0.306, p = 0.008) and CD (r = − 0.398, p < 0.001) of the palatopharyngeal area, the cross-sectional area (r = − 0.241, p = 0.038) and CD (r = − 0.297, p = 0.010) of the narrowest level of the glossopharynx, the CD of the glossopharynx (r = 0.284, p = 0.013), body mass index (BMI, r = 0.273, p = 0.018), SPL (r = 0.284, p = 0.014), and vallecula-tip of tongue (r = 0.250, p = 0.030). The SPL and CD at the narrowest part of the glossopharynx were included in the simplified screening model.ConclusionsIn NPOSA, the CD of the upper airway was smaller, and the soft palate was longer, than in POSA. These differences may play significant roles in explaining the main differences between NPOSA and POSA.
Highlights
Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is harmful to health
The 75 subjects were divided into NPOSA (n = 40) and positional obstructive sleep apnea (POSA) (n = 35) groups
There were no statistical differences in SNA, SNB, ANB, BaSN, anterior nasal spine (ANS), posterior nasal spine (PNS), soft palate thickness (SPT), VT, or the SD to coronal diameter (CD) ratios of the glossopharynx and hypopharynx between the two groups
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is harmful to health. Its major clinical features include snoring, apnea, and daytime hypersomnolence; it is correlated with diabetes, ischemic heart disease, chronic cor pulmonale, and cerebrovascular disease. How to cite this article Jiao et al (2017), A retrospective study: does upper airway morphology differ between non-positional and positional obstructive sleep apnea? The exact mechanisms underlying NPOSA and POSA are unclear; anthropometric characteristics, upper airway morphology, and anatomical structures may all play roles. Many studies have focused on the differences between NPOSA and POSA, such as age and body mass index (BMI) (Oksenberg et al, 1997; Oksenberg et al, 2012). To enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of NPOSA and POSA, this study explored differences in the upper airway morphology and anatomical structures between two groups of Chinese patients using computed tomography (CT) and polysomnography (PSG)
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