The alteration of craniofacial structures has been associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We hypothesized that 1) a smaller mandible is a risk factor for OSA; and 2) the previously observed inferiorly positioned hyoid bone in apneics is associated with enlarged tongue volume. This is a case-control study using three-dimensional MRI cephalometry. 55 apneics and 55 controls were matched for age, gender and race. The analysis was stratified by gender and controlled for age, race, height, neck visceral fat, skeletal type and tongue volume. We found that a 1-SD increase in mandibular length and depth were associated with decreased risk of sleep apnea (odds ratio[OR]=0.52, 95% confidence interval[CI]:0.28-0.99, OR=0.46, 95%CI:0.23-0.91, respectively) in men but not in women. Greater hyoid to nasion (OR=2.64, 95%CI:1.19-5.89 in men; OR=5.01, 95%CI:2.00-12.52 in women) and supramentale-to-hyoid (OR=2.39, 95%CI:1.12-5.14 in men; OR=3.38, 95%CI:1.49-7.68 in women) distances were associated with increased risk of OSA. The difference between apneics and controls for hyoid position was lost after controlling for tongue volume. Enlargement of tongue is likely to be the pathogenic factor for inferior-posterior positioning of hyoid. A small and shallow mandible is an independent risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea in men but not in women.

Positive airway pressure adherence is significantly improved by giving patients Web access to information about their use of the treatment. Inclusion of a financial incentive in the first week had no additive effect in improving adherence.

Study Objectives This study evaluated differences in upper airway, soft tissues and craniofacial structures between Asians from China and Europeans from Iceland with OSA using three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods Airway sizes, soft tissue volumes, and craniofacial dimensions were compared between Icelandic (N = 108) and Chinese (N = 57) patients with oxygen desaturation index (ODI) ≥ 10 events/h matched for age, gender, and ODI. Mixed effects models adjusting for height or BMI and residual differences in age and ODI were utilized. Results In our matched sample, compared to Icelandic OSA patients, Chinese patients had smaller BMI (p < 0.0001) and neck circumference (p = 0.011). In covariate adjusted analyses, Chinese showed smaller retropalatal airway size (p ≤ 0.002), and smaller combined soft tissues, tongue, fat pads, and pterygoid (all p ≤ 0.0001), but male Chinese demonstrated a larger soft palate volume (p ≤ 0.001). For craniofacial dimensions, Chinese demonstrated bigger ANB angle (p ≤ 0.0196), differently shaped mandibles, including shorter corpus length (p < 0.0001) but longer ramus length (p < 0.0001), and a wider (p < 0.0001) and shallower (p ≤ 0.0001) maxilla. Conclusions Compared to Icelandic patients of similar age, gender and ODI, Chinese patients had smaller retropalatal airway and combined soft tissue, but bigger soft palate volume (in males), and differently shaped mandible and maxilla with more bony restrictions. Results support an ethnic difference in upper airway anatomy related to OSA, which may inform targeted therapies.

The data support our a priori hypothesis that the craniofacial structures that have been associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are heritable. We have demonstrated heritability for several intermediate craniofacial phenotypes for OSA. Thus, we believe that future studies should be able to identify genes associated with these intermediate craniofacial phenotypes.

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BackgroundUndiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is prevalent in neurological practice and significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality. OSA is prevalent in US adults and causes poor quality sleep and significant neurocognitive, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular impairments. Timely treatment of OSA reduces cardio-cerebrovascular risks and improves quality of life. However, most of the US population has limited systematic access to sleep medicine care despite its clinical significance.FocusWe discuss the importance of systematic screening, testing, and best-practice management of OSA and hypoventilation/hypoxemia syndromes (HHS) in patients with stroke, neurocognitive impairment, and neuromuscular conditions. This review aims to introduce and describe a novel integrated Mobile Sleep Medicine (iMSM) care model and provide the rationale for using an iMSM in general neurological practice to assist with systematic screening, testing and best-practice management of OSA, HHS, and potentially other sleep conditions.Key pointsThe iMSM is an innovative, patient-centered, clinical outcome-based program that uses a Mobile Sleep Medicine Unit—a “sleep lab on wheels”—designed to improve access to OSA management and sleep care at all levels of health care system. The protocol for the iMSM care model includes three levels of operations to provide effective and efficient OSA screening, timely testing/treatment plans, and coordination of further sleep medicine care follow-up. The iMSM care model prioritizes effective, efficient, and patient-centered sleep medicine care; therefore, all parties and segments of care that receive and provide clinical sleep medicine services may benefit from adopting this innovative approach.

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