Polysomnographic Parameters Related to the Successful Treatment of Oral Appliance in Patients with Sleep-Disordered Breathing / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The use of oral appliances has recently risen as an effective alternative treatment methods for patients with simple snoring or mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, who prefer oral appliances to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or who are unable to tolerate CPAP therapy. The objective of this study was to identify which polysomnographic parameters are related to the successful use of oral appliances in patients with sleep-disordered breathing. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We performed a retrospective study of 29 subjects with sleep-disordered breathing and prescribed the use of an oral appliance. To determine which polysomnographic parameters were related to responsiveness to oral appliances, differences in responder rates were assessed according to apnea severity, sleep position, rapid eye movement-stage dependency, body mass index (BMI) and nasal surgery history. RESULTS: Twenty-one of 29 patients showed improved respiratory disturbance index after oral-appliance treatment. Responder rates of patients with mild, moderate, and severe sleep-disordered breathing were 72.3%, 80%, and 62.5%, respectively. Responder rates among position-dependent and non-position dependent groups were 85% and 44.4%, respectively. When grouping into overweight and normal weight groups according to BMI, responder rates were 69.57% and 83.3%, respectively. The responder rate for 24 patients who had undergone septoturbinoplasty was 75%, whereas it was 60% for the non-surgery group. CONCLUSION: Oral appliance therapy is confirmed to be useful for patients with simple snoring or mild to moderate sleep apnea, or position dependent sleep apnea, and those who have normal weight and low nasal resistance.Oral appliance therapy is confirmed to be useful for patients with simple snoring or mild to moderate sleep apnea, or position dependent sleep apnea, and those who have normal weight and low nasal resistance.

Clinical Analysis of Delayed Improvement in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the time-dependent progress and the delayed improvement in patients who were already treated by combination therapy including oral steroid for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: This study examined patients presenting with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss at a secondary referral and a university-based center over 10 years. This retrospective study included only those patients who could be followed up for at least 3 months. RESULTS: Of 121 patients who recovered over the 3 months of follow-up period, 9.9% showed a delayed recovery of later than 1 month after discharge. Of 55 patients who did not recover until the discharge but recovered thereafter, 78.2% recovered within 1 month, 5.5% recovered between 1 to 2 months, 12.7% recovered between 2 to 3 months, and 3.6% recovered 3 months later after the discharge. The delayed recovery was found frequently in partial or slightly recovery groups by Siegel's criteria. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the presence of delayed recovery in patients who were treated by combination therapy, including oral steroid for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss, although this result should be further studied by additional research.