Nasal Patency Measured by Acoustic Rhinometry in East Asian Patients with Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Abstract

Background Nasal obstruction is thought to be a risk factor in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, the relationship between nasal patency and sleep-disordered breathing remains controversial. The aim of this study was to examine the association between acoustic rhinometry findings and results of overnight polysomnography. Methods From February to October 2003, patients who underwent overnight polysomnography assessment were enrolled in the study. We excluded patients who were under 20 years old, had severe deviated nasal septum, had previously received nasal or palatal surgery, or could not complete sleep test or acoustic rhinometry examination. Participants’ basic data including age, gender, neck circumference, and body mass index (BMI) were collected. All participants received acoustic rhinometry before overnight polysomnography. The results along with sleep-test outcomes were recorded and analyzed. Results A total of 87 patients were included in this study. Patients with respiratory disturbance index (RDI) less than 5/h (n = 26) or with RDI of 5–30/h (n = 28) tended to have larger minimal cross-sectional area (MCA) compared with those of patients whose RDI was more than 30/h (n = 33) (P = 0.001). A stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that BMI, male gender, and MCA were contributing factors in RDI. The R2 value of the multiple regression analysis was 0.406. Conclusion Patients with severe OSA tended to have smaller MCA when compared with patients with RDI less than 30/h. However, it was hard to predict whether patients had OSA from acoustic rhinometry examination.