Using standardized ultrasound imaging to correlate OSA severity with tongue morphology.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound imaging has been explored as a potential diagnostic tool for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); we reported backscatter ultrasound imaging (BUI) of the tongue correlates with OSA severity in adults. We focus on anatomical features of the tongue using standardized ultrasonography and hypothesize that differences in morphology correlate with OSA severity. METHODS: This prospective study was IRB approved (53,172) and conducted at Stanford University Sleep Surgery Clinic. Patients ≥18 years with polysomnography (PSG) underwent a standardized submental ultrasound scan using a laser alignment tool to observe the upper airway in supine position during tidal respiration. Images acquired from this scan were divided into 4 equiangular regions (A-D). RESULTS: A total of 144 patients (30 women) July 2020-December 2022 were included with mean age 41.6 years (±12.9 SD), BMI 27.2 kg/m2(±4.7 SD), and AHI 19.7 (±20.0 SD). Moderate-to-severe OSA patients had significantly narrower airspace at regions A, B and C with p-values ranging from <0.0001 to 0.0003. These patients had a significantly wider (p = 0.0021-0.0045 for regions A, B and C) tongue and thicker (p = 0.0403 for region B) deep tissue. The predictive model to assess the risk of moderate-to-severe OSA achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.839 (95 % CI: 0.769 to 0.895). CONCLUSIONS: With standardized, computerized ultrasound imaging of the shape and configuration of the tongue, we identified regions that correlated well with OSA severity. Further research is needed to determine the clinical implications of such pathophysiological findings.

Association of Backscattered Ultrasonographic Imaging of the Tongue With Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults.

Importance: Determining interventions to manage obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) depends on clinical examination, polysomnography (PSG) results, and imaging analysis. There remains the need of a noninvasive and cost-effective way to correlate relevant upper airway anatomy with severity of OSA to direct treatment and optimize outcome. Objective: To determine whether backscattered ultrasonographic imaging (BUI) analysis of the tongue is associated with severity of OSA in adults. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this prospective, single-center, diagnostic study of a consecutive series of patients (aged ≥18 years) at a sleep surgery clinic, the 89 included patients had a PSG within 3 years at the time of ultrasonography and BUI analysis between July 2020 and March 2022. Patients were excluded if body mass index had changed more than 10% since time of PSG. A standardized submental ultrasonographic scan with laser alignment was used with B-mode and BUI analysis applied to the tongue. The B-mode and BUI intensity were associated with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), a measure of severity of apnea from normal (no OSA) to severe OSA. Exposures: Ultrasonography and PSG. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes were BUI parameters and their association with AHI value. Results: Eighty-nine patients were included between July 2020 and March 2022. A total of 70 (78.7%) male patients were included; and distribution by race and ethnicity was 46 (52%) White participants, 22 (25%) Asian participants, and 2 (2%) African American participants, and 19 (21%) others. Median (IQR) age was 37.0 (29.0-48.3) years; median (IQR) BMI was 25.3 (23.2-29.8); and median (IQR) AHI was 11.1 (5.6-23.1) events per hour. At the middle to posterior tongue region, the 4 OSA severity levels explained a significant portion of the BUI variance (η2 = 0.153-0.236), and a significant difference in BUI values was found between the subgroups with AHI values of less than 15 (no OSA and mild OSA) and greater than or equal to 15 (moderate OSA and severe OSA) events per hour. The echo intensity showed no significant differences. The BUI values showed a positive association with AHI, with a Spearman correlation coefficient of up to 0.43. Higher BUI values remained associated with higher AHI after correction for the covariates of BMI and age. Conclusions and Relevance: In this prospective diagnostic study, standardized BUI analysis of the tongue was associated with OSA severity. With the practicality of ultrasonography, this analysis is pivotal in connecting anatomy with physiology in treatment planning for patients with OSA.

Equal effect of a noncustom vs a custom mandibular advancement device in treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Numerous types of mandibular advancement devices (MADs) are available to treat patients with obstructive sleep apnea, varying from noncustom to custom devices. Only a limited number of studies have been performed to determine whether a noncustom MAD could be used to predict treatment success of a custom MAD. In this study, we investigated the potential of a new-generation noncustom MAD, by comparing its effectiveness with a custom MAD. We hypothesized that the effectiveness of the devices is similar with regard to both objective (polysomnography) and self-reported (questionnaires, adherence, and patient satisfaction) outcomes. METHODS: This was a single-center prospective randomized crossover study including a consecutive series of patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Patients were randomized to start either with the noncustom or custom MAD. Both MADs were applied for 12 weeks, followed by polysomnography with MAD in situ and questionnaires. After the first 12 weeks of follow-up, a washout period of 1 week was applied. Equal effectiveness was defined as no significant differences in both objective and self-reported outcomes between both devices. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients were included; 40 completed the full follow-up. The median apnea-hypopnea index significantly decreased from 16.3 (7.7, 24.8) events/h to 10.7 (5.6, 16.6) events/h with the custom MAD (P = .010) and to 7.8 (2.9, 16.1) events/h with the noncustom MAD (P < .001). Self-reported outcomes significantly improved in both groups. No significant differences were found between both devices. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of a noncustom and custom MAD is comparable, which suggests that a noncustom MAD can be used as a selection tool for MAD treatment eligibility to improve MAD treatment outcome. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registry: Netherlands Trial Register; Name: The Use of a Boil and Bite Mandibular Advancement Device vs a Custom Mandibular Advancement Device in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Management; URL: https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/7249; Identifier: NL64738.100.18. CITATION: Bosschieter PFN, Uniken Venema JAM, Vonk PE, et al. Equal effect of a noncustom vs a custom mandibular advancement device in treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(9):2155-2165.

Predicting upper airway collapse sites found in drug-induced sleep endoscopy from clinical data and snoring sounds in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a prospective clinical study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The primary aim was to predict upper airway collapse sites found in drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) from demographic, anthropometric, clinical examination, sleep study, and snoring sound parameters in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The secondary aim was to identify the above-mentioned parameters that are associated with complete concentric collapse of the soft palate. METHODS: All patients with OSA who underwent DISE and simultaneous snoring sound recording were enrolled in this study. Demographic, anthropometric, clinical examination (viz., modified Mallampati classification and Friedman tonsil classification), and sleep study parameters were extracted from the polysomnography and DISE reports. Snoring sound parameters during DISE were calculated. RESULTS: One hundred and nineteen patients with OSA (79.8% men; age = 48.1 ± 12.4 years) were included. Increased body mass index was found to be associated with higher probability of oropharyngeal collapse (P < .01; odds ratio = 1.29). Patients with a high Friedman tonsil score were less likely to have tongue base collapse (P < .01; odd ratio = 0.12) and epiglottic collapse (P = .01; odds ratio = 0.20) than those with a low score. A longer duration of snoring events (P = .05; odds ratio = 2.99) was associated with a higher probability of complete concentric collapse of the soft palate. CONCLUSIONS: Within the current patient profile and approach, given that only a limited number of predictors were identified, it does not seem feasible to predict upper airway collapse sites found in DISE from demographic, anthropometric, clinical examination, sleep study, and snoring sound parameters in patients with OSA. CITATION: Huang Z, Bosschieter PFN, Aarab G, et al. Predicting upper airway collapse sites found in drug-induced sleep endoscopy from clinical data and snoring sounds in obstructive sleep apnea patients: a prospective clinical study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(9):2119-2131.

Similar effect of hypoglossal nerve stimulation for obstructive sleep apnea in 5 disease severity categories.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Data on adherence and outcome of upper airway stimulation (UAS) for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are collected in an international registry (ADHERE). Previous publications report significant improvement in self-reported and objective OSA outcomes, durable effectiveness, and high adherence. Debate remains whether the effectiveness of UAS is influenced by preoperative OSA severity; therefore, we aimed to evaluate this using data from the ADHERE Registry. METHODS: ADHERE is a postmarket, ongoing, international multicenter registry. Adult patients were included if they had undergone UAS implantation and had at least 1 follow-up visit recorded in the database on June 8, 2021. We divided the patients into 5 subgroups, based on OSA severity at baseline (AHI in events/h): subgroup 1 (0-15), 2 (15-30), 3 (≥ 30-50), 4 (> 50-65), and 5 (> 65). We compared results regarding objective and self-reported treatment outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 1,963 patients were included. Twelve months after implantation, there was a significant (P < .0001) improvement in objective sleep parameters in all subgroups with an AHI above 15 events/h. Patients in subgroup 1 had the lowest AHI at the final visit and the AHI reduction in patients in subgroup 5 was the largest (P < .0001). No significant difference was found between the subgroups in overall treatment success (66.6%) and improvement in self-reported outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that UAS is an effective treatment for patients with an AHI ≥ 15 events/h, independent of preoperative OSA severity. Self-reported outcomes and treatment success did not differ significantly between the 5 subgroups. These results clearly support that the indication of UAS could be broadened for patients with an AHI above 65 events/h, which, to date, is not common practice. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Title: Adherence and Outcome of Upper Airway Stimulation (UAS) for OSA International Registry (ADHERE Registry); Identifier: NCT02907398; URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02907398. CITATION: Bosschieter PFN, de Vries N, Mehra R, et al. Similar effect of hypoglossal nerve stimulation for obstructive sleep apnea in 5 disease severity categories. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(6):1657-1665.

Daytime polysomnography to perform titration for upper airway stimulation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

PURPOSE: Upper airway stimulation (UAS) is an innovative treatment for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). UAS titrations are performed 3 months after activation of the device to optimize its effectiveness. In general, these titrations are performed during an in-laboratory overnight polysomnography (PSG). However, overnight titrations are expensive and can be logistically challenging because they are labor-intensive which causes shortage of sleep technicians available for night shifts. In addition, recently, overnight PSGs were postponed and canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to assess the feasibility of a daytime PSG to perform titration of UAS therapy as an alternative for a conventional overnight PSG. METHODS: We performed a prospective single-center observational cohort study. Patients were included when planned for UAS titration; this was approximately 6 months after UAS activation. Data on sleep architecture, patient experience, and respiratory outcomes were collected to evaluate the feasibility. An overnight follow-up PSG 12 months after implantation was used to compare sleep architecture and therapy response. RESULTS: Of 23 patients, four were excluded from analysis because of technical issues during PSG. Even though patients slept significantly shorter during the daytime PSG, this was enough time to complete the titration successfully with 30-min sleep in final therapeutic settings in 84% of the patients. Patients (94%) had a positive experience with the daytime titration. Respiratory outcomes were significantly reduced during titration and were maintained at the 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Daytime titrations are a valuable alternative for conventional overnight titrations. Our findings suggest the implementation of daytime titrations as standard of care. This will contribute to easier logistics and better work circumstances for sleep technicians without jeopardizing titration quality.

Position-dependent obstructive sleep apnea and its influence on treatment success of mandibular advancement devices.

PURPOSE: Depending on the severity of pre-treatment obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the criteria used to define treatment success, the efficacy of mandibular advancement devices (MADs) ranges from 30 to 69%. Identifying suitable candidates is the key to increasing the efficacy of a MAD. Positive predictors include a low body mass index, a low apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), and low age. Another consideration is whether or not a patient's OSA is position dependent. To evaluate the effect of such dependency on MAD treatment success, we studied the following: treatment success across the patient's total AHI and in the supine and non-supine sleeping positions; the influence of pre-treatment position dependency on MAD treatment success; and the effect of MAD treatment on post-treatment shifts in position dependency. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective study of patients with OSA. Patients were diagnosed through an overnight polysomnography and treated with a MAD between February 2015 and January 2018. They were defined as being positional if the AHI in supine sleeping position was at least twice as high as in the non-supine position. RESULTS: Complete treatment success was achieved in 32% of study population (n = 96) and partial success in 54%. Complete treatment success was significantly higher (p = 0.004) when a patient was sleeping in the non-supine position. Treatment success did not differ significantly between patients who were position dependent and those who were not. When treated with a MAD, patients did not spend significantly more time in supine position. Neither did we find any post-treatment shifts in position dependency. CONCLUSION: A MAD is an effective treatment modality that may significantly reduce the total AHI, supine, and non-supine AHI. Since position dependency has no impact on MAD treatment success, it does not determine whether or not a patient is a suitable candidate for MAD treatment.

Evaluation of drug-induced sleep endoscopy as a tool for selecting patients with obstructive sleep apnea for maxillomandibular advancement.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: (1) To investigate if drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) findings are predictive of surgical response for patients undergoing maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and (2) to investigate the predictive value of the jaw thrust maneuver during DISE in terms of surgical response to MMA. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients with OSA who underwent a baseline polysomnography (PSG) and DISE followed by MMA and a 3- to 6-month follow-up PSG between September 1, 2011, and September 30, 2020. RESULTS: Sixty-four patients with OSA (50 males [78.1%]; mean ± SD age = 51.7 ± 9.5 years; mean ± SD apnea-hypopnea index = 49.0 ± 20.8 events/h) were included. Thirty-nine patients were responders, and 25 were nonresponders. Adjusting for baseline characteristics and surgical characteristics (eg, age, baseline apnea-hypopnea index, degree of maxillary advancement), patients with complete anteroposterior epiglottic collapse had 0.239 times lower odds for response to MMA (95% confidence interval, 0.059-0.979; P = .047). No significant relationship was found between complete concentric velum collapse and MMA response. There was no statistically significant association between effect of jaw thrust maneuver during DISE on upper airway patency and treatment outcome of MMA. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that DISE is a promising tool to identify patients who will or will not respond to MMA for treating OSA. Patients with complete anteroposterior epiglottic collapse may be less suitable candidates for MMA. CITATION: Zhou N, Ho J-PTF, de Vries N, Bosschieter PFN, Ravesloot MJL, de Lange J. Evaluation of drug-induced sleep endoscopy as a tool for selecting patients with obstructive sleep apnea for maxillomandibular advancement. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(4):1073-1081.

Prediction of the obstruction sites in the upper airway in sleep-disordered breathing based on snoring sound parameters: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Identification of the obstruction site in the upper airway may help in treatment selection for patients with sleep-disordered breathing. Because of limitations of existing techniques, there is a continuous search for more feasible methods. Snoring sound parameters were hypothesized to be potential predictors of the obstruction site. Therefore, this review aims to i) investigate the association between snoring sound parameters and the obstruction sites; and ii) analyze the methodology of reported prediction models of the obstruction sites. METHODS: The literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase.com, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Scopus in collaboration with a medical librarian. Studies were eligible if they investigated the associations between snoring sound parameters and the obstruction sites, and/or reported prediction models of the obstruction sites based on snoring sound. RESULTS: Of the 1016 retrieved references, 28 eligible studies were included. It was found that the characteristic frequency components generated from lower-level obstructions of the upper airway were higher than those generated from upper-level obstructions. Prediction models were built mainly based on snoring sound parameters in frequency domain. The reported accuracies ranged from 60.4% to 92.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Available evidence points toward associations between the snoring sound parameters in the frequency domain and the obstruction sites in the upper airway. It is promising to build a prediction model of the obstruction sites based on snoring sound parameters and participant characteristics, but so far snoring sound analysis does not seem to be a viable diagnostic modality for treatment selection.

The effect of postoperative CPAP use on anastomotic and staple line leakage after bariatric surgery.

PURPOSE: Almost two-thirds of the population undergoing bariatric surgery (BS) suffers from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the standard treatment for moderate to severe OSA and is recommended in patients undergoing BS perioperatively. A severe and dreaded complication after BS is anastomotic leakage. There is theoretical concern that perioperative CPAP use may result in increased distension of the gastrointestinal tract and increase the risk of developing an anastomotic leakage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of postoperative CPAP use on the risk of developing anastomotic leakages after BS. METHODS: Retrospectively, all patients from a single bariatric center who underwent BS from November 2007 to August 2019 were included. Presence and severity of OSA were determined using poly(somno)graphy. To evaluate the effect of postoperative CPAP use on anastomotic leakage, a multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 4052 patients were included, with OSA being diagnosed in 62%. Overall, 970 patients (24%) used CPAP after BS. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 64 (1.6%) patients after BS. Leakage rate was 1.3% in non-CPAP group versus 2.5% in CPAP group (p = 0.01). CPAP use was associated with anastomotic leakage; however, after adjustment, CPAP use was not an independent predictor (OR = 1.40, 95% CI 0.60-3.28, p = 0.44). CONCLUSION: There is no independent relation between postoperative CPAP use and anastomotic leakage after BS. Only revision surgery was an independent predictor of anastomotic leakage.