ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To explore the change of nasal ventilation function in a group of SDB patients and its relationship to PSG parameters.@*METHOD@#One hundred twenty-eight controls, 11 habitual snorers, 33 cases of mild-moderate OSAHS and 33 cases of severe OSAHS were examined. NN1 Rhinospirometer was used to measure unilateral nasal respiratory capacity (NC(un)) and bilateral nasal respiratory capacity (NC(bi)), and the nasal partitioning ratio (NPR) can be calculated. NR6 Rhinomanometry was used to measure total nasal inspiratory and expiratory resistance (TNRi, TNRe). A1 acoustic rhinometry was used to measure distances of the two notches to the nostril (MD1, MD2), cross-sectional areas of the two notches (MCA1, MCA2) and nasal volume from 0-5 cm (NV(0-5)). Moreover, make the correlational analysis on different index of nasal functional tests and PSG.@*RESULT@#(1) Significant group differences were shown in NPR (P < 0.01). (2) TNRi and TNRe were statistical different among the groups (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). (3) There are significant difference on MD1, MCA1, MCA2, NV(0-5) in male, but just on MD1 in female. (4) There was no correlation between PSG parameters and nasal functional parameters in SDB patients. But for certain subgroup analysis in female patients with a body mass index below 25, minimum oxygen saturation correlated significantly with MCA2 (r = 0.688, P < 0.05), arousal index correlated significantly with MCA1 (r = 0.543, P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The nasal anatomical structure and physiological function contribute to the pathogenesis of OSAHS, which may play a larger role in non-obese female patients.