Background: Obese subjects are at increased risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). However, the individual role of local (i.e., upper airway-related) and general (clinical and whole-body anthropometric) characteristics in determining OSAS in obese patients is still controversial. Objectives: To contrast the clinical, anthropometric and upper airway anatomical features of obese subjects presenting or not presenting with OSAS. Methods: Thirty-seven obese (BMI ≧30 kg/m²) males with OSAS and 14 age- and gender-matched obese controls underwent clinical and anthropometric (BMI, waist-to-hip ratio and neck circumference) evaluation. In a subgroup of subjects (18 and 11 subjects, respectively), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during wakefulness was used to study the upper airway anatomy. Results: OSAS patients showed significantly higher BMI, waist-to-hip ratio and neck circumference as compared to controls (p < 0.05). They also referred to nonrepairing sleep, impaired attention, and previous car accidents more frequently (p < 0.05). The transversal diameter of the airways (TDAW) at the retroglossal level by MRI was found to be an independent predictor of the presence and severity of OSAS (p < 0.05). Parapharyngeal fat increase, however, was not related to OSAS. A TDAW >12 mm was especially useful to rule out severe OSAS (apnea-hypopnea index >30, negative predictive value = 88.9%, likelihood ratio for a negative test result = 0.19). Conclusions: MRI of the upper airway can be used in association with clinical and anthropometric data to identify obese males at increased risk of OSAS.

OBJETIVOS: Investigar os sintomas mais freqüentes encontrados em crianças com diagnóstico polissonográfico de síndrome da apnéia-hipopnéia obstrutiva do sono (SAHOS). MÉTODOS: Foram avaliadas 38 crianças consecutivamente encaminhadas ao laboratório do sono com suspeita de SAHOS no período de junho de 2003 a dezembro de 2004. Os pacientes foram submetidos a um questionário pré-sono e a polissonografia. RESULTADOS: A idade média foi de 7,8 ± 4 anos (variação, 2-15 anos), sendo 50% das crianças do sexo masculino. Não apnéicos corresponderam a 7,9% dos pesquisados, distúrbio leve obstrutivo do sono ocorreu em 42,1%, moderado em 28,9% e severo em 22,1%. Observou-se maior freqüência de casos severos de apnéia entre crianças menores de seis anos (idade pré-escolar). Dentre as crianças com SAHOS, os sintomas mais citados foram ronco e obstrução nasal, presentes em 74,3 e 72,7% das crianças, respectivamente. Sonolência excessiva e bruxismo ocorreram em, respectivamente, 29,4 e 34,3% dos casos e doença do refluxo em apenas 3,1%. Agitação das pernas e dificuldade para iniciar o sono foram encontradas em, respectivamente, 65 e 33% dos avaliados. Todas as crianças que apresentaram SAHOS de grau severo tinham queixa de ronco e bruxismo. CONCLUSÕES: Nossos resultados mostraram que os sintomas mais freqüentes em crianças e adolescentes com SAHOS são ronco e obstrução nasal. Além disso, quadros mais graves da SAHOS estão associados à menor faixa etária.

RESUMO ABSTRACT Clinical Presentation of Obese Patients with Polysomnographic Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Aim:To evaluate the symptoms of obese patients with polysomnographic diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods: All obese patients (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) that accomplished overnight polysomnography in two sleep laboratories in the city of Salvador, BA, Brazil, in the period of July to December of 2004, and had an apnea hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5. The considered symptoms were excessive daytime sleepiness, awakenings during the night and nocturnal choking or gasping. Results: 73 patients were included, being 57.5% male, with mean age and BMI of 45.2 years old and 38.0 kg/m 2 , respectively. The majority (49.3%) was classified as having severe OSA (AHI ≥ 30). Data revealed that 19.2% of the patients did not have any symptoms, while 28.8% had one symptom, 30.1% had two and 21.9% had three. There was no statistically significant difference in the severity of OSA between the subjects with and without symptoms. There was a higher prevalence of asymptomatic patients in the subgroup with severe obesity -BMI ≥ 35kg/m 2 (30.8% vs. 5.9%; p = 0.007). Conclusions: The polysomnography seems to be a fundamental exam in the evaluation of obese patients due to the elevated prevalence of asymptomatic individuals with OSA in this group, especially the severe obese.