The Cervical Fat Tissue Volume is a Predictor for Moderate to Severe OSA

Abstract

Objective Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder characterized by recurrent pharyngeal obstruction during sleep, in which upper airway anatomy plays a key role in its pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to describe whether the quantification of cervical fat tissue volume (CFTV) obtained by Computed Tomography (CT)cephalometry is related to the severity of OSA. Methods Retrospective study between 2018 and 2020 in those patients > 18 years old, with diagnosis of OSA who performed a volumetric cephalometric imaging. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the images was performed and CFTV was measured. Results 91 patients were included in this study of which: without OSA (n: 7), mild (n: 19), moderate (n: 39) and severe OSA (n: 26). We observed a progressive increase of CFTV related to OSA severity has been observed (without OSA: 58.9 ml (47.9-87.5), mild: 59.1ml (48.4-78.3), moderate: 71 ml (42.6-127.1) and severe OSA 103.6 ml (81-153); p < 0.01); nevertheless, no differences were found in the airway volume and neck area. It was showed a significant correlation between CFTV and OSA indicators: AHI, ODI and T90 (Sp r: 0.48; 0.38 and 0.36; p < 0.01 respectively). CFTV cut-off value to discriminate AHI >15 ev/h with best sensitivity-specificity relationship was 64.1 ml with an area under the curve of 0.6 ± 0.06. Multivariate analysis showed that CFTV is a predictor for moderate to severe OSA (OR:3.05, IC95%: 1.14-8.17). Conclusion Cervical fat quantification by CT cephalometry correlates with OSA severity in adults. Fat volume > 64.1 ml increased more than three times the risk of OSA moderate to severe.

Investigating Snoring Patterns and Characteristics among Residents in the Qingpu District

“…4.4.5 BMI: OSAHS is a respiratory disorder characterized by the partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway during sleep, resulting in breathing di culties. Research indicates that obesity stands as a primary risk factor for OSAHS due to the accumulation of excess fat in the neck(Ernst et al, 2023) and surrounding the throat, elevating upper airway resistance and leading to breathing challenges(Ernst et al, 2023). As per the World Health Organization's (WHO) International BMI classi cation from 2000, a BMI below 18.5 categorizes individuals as underweight, while 18.5 to 24.9 falls within the normal weight range, 25 to 29.9 denotes overweight status, and 30 and above signi es obesity.Based on our investigation, patients with severe OSAHS exhibited the highest mean BMI at 30.11 ± 3.56 kg/m², indicating a prevalence of obesity or overweight status.…”