Nasal Resistance in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and nasal resistance (NR). Eighty-five consecutive patients were recruited owing to their symptoms indicating OSA. All patients received polysomnography and anterior rhinomanometry (performed during wakefulness in the supine position). Patients were divided into low and high NR groups according to their rhinomanometric results; their polysomnographic, anthropometric and demographic data were compared. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between polysomnography and rhinomanometric measurements. The two studied groups were not different in body mass index, sex and age (p > 0.05), but the high NR group showed a significantly higher snoring index (p = 0.03). Furthermore, unilateral higher NR correlated significantly with respiratory disturbance index (r = 0.30, p = 0.006) and minimal oxygen saturation (r = –0.22, p = 0.04); total NR also correlated with the snoring index (r = 0.23, p = 0.04). Stepwise multivariate regression models revealed that unilateral higher NR was predictive of respiratory disturbance index (R² = 0.087, p = 0.006). The research implied that NR is a possible contributing factor to snoring, with a need for further investigation to confirm the correlation between unilateral higher NR and the severity of OSA.

Nasal Surgery for Snoring in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

“…Total NR was derived by the standard formula total NR = (right NR × left NR)/(right NR + left NR). Detailed procedures for anterior rhinomanometry have been published elsewhere 14 …”

“…Detailed procedures for anterior rhinomanometry have been published elsewhere. 14 The acoustic rhinometry (AR) technique used in this study was conducted in the laboratory. A commercialized nasal probe consisting of rigid PVC tube 1.2 cm in internal diameter and 5 cm in length (RhinoSleep, Lynge, Denmark) was used to connect the AR instrument to the nasal alae.…”

Thirty Minute-Exposure to Aged Cigarette Smoke Increases Nasal Congestion in Nonsmokers

“…No apparent previous reports in the literature of the effects of inhaled irritants that used anterior rhinomanometry were found. However, two groups studying the relationship between nasal resistance and obstructive sleep apnea reported that resistance in the most congested nostril correlated better with measures of apnea severity than bilateral nasal resistance (Li et al, 2005;Tagaya et al, 2010).…”

The Evaluation of Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Nasal Geometry Using Objective and Subjective Methods

“…8,25,26 Contrary to these studies, there are also studies without any relation between nasal resistance and apnea hypopnea index (AHI). 9,27,28 In these studies, nasal resistance is measured in sitting position but Nakata et al showed that nasal resistance and AHI are correlated in supine position, whereas it is not detected on sitting position. 29 According to our findings, we did not detect any correlation between increased BMI and total expiratory and inspiratory nasal resistance.…”