Pattern of Snoring in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients and in Heavy Snorers

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We measured respiratory mechanical characteristics during sleep in five heavy, nonapneic snorers (HS) and in five obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. In two HS and in two OSA patients we obtained lateral pharyngeal cineradiographic images during sleep while snoring. Flow limitation preceded all snores in both HS and OSA. Pattern of snoring, hysteresis and temporal relationship between supraglottic pressure (Psg) and fiow rate were different in HS and OSA. Maximal fiow during snoring was less (p < 0.05) in OSA (0.18 ± 0.07 liter/second) than in HS (0.36 ± 0.06 liter/second). Linear supraglottic resistance during inspiratory snoring was higher, though not significantly, in OSA patients (7.11 ± 3.01 cm H20/liter/second) than in HS (4.80 ± 2.83 cm H20/liter/second). We conclude that: 1) Snoring is characterized by high frequency oscillations of the soft palate, pharyngeal walls, epiglottis and tongue. 2) Flow limitation appears to be a sine qua non for snoring during sleep. 3) The pattern of snoring is different in OSA and HS. 4) Pharyngeal size during snoring is probably larger in HS than in OSA patients.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: