Correlation between upper airway MRI parameters and the severity of patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome / 中国耳鼻咽喉头颈外科

ABSTRACT

[ABSTRACT]OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between upper airway MRI parameters and the severity of patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Then the values of upper airway MRI parameters in waking state were assessed.METHODS The MRI upper airway parameters of 37 OSAHS patients and 18 nonsnoring normal subjects were measured and compared. Then data analysis were carried out to find out significant correlations between the MRI upper airway parameters and the severity of patients (the apnea hypopnea index, AHI; the lowest oxygen saturation, LSaO2; the oxygen desaturation index, ODI) with OSAHS.RESULTSThe correlation between cross-sectional areas and left-right diameter in the narrowest retropalatal region, the thickness of lateral pharyngeal wall, the length of the tongue, the length and thickness of the soft palate and the cross-sectional areas of the soft palate on midsagittal planes and severity of OSAHS were found (P<0.05).CONCLUSIONThe MRI upper airway parameters can be used in evaluating the severity of OSAHS in some ways, locating the obstruction sites and choosing the best treatment planning.