Upper Airway Obstruction in Non-obese Patients With Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sound due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping.

Snoring during sleep may be a sign, or first alarm, of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Snoring can cause significant psychological and social problems to sufferers. Multiple studies reveal a positive correlation between loud snoring and risk of heart attack and stroke.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the commonest type of sleep apnea and is characterized by inturpted snoring, repeated attacks of complete or partial pharyngeal closure during sleep despite the effort to breath resulting in nocturnal hypoxemia, frequent arousals during sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS).

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is differentiated from Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) which is characterized by changes in the respiratory cycle during sleep but without the effort to breath during the apnea.

the episodes of decreased breathing are called "hypopnea " and it's definition requires a < 30% drop in flow for 10 seconds or longer associated with < 3% oxygen desaturation , the episodes of breathing cessations are called "apneas" and defined as a< 90% drop in flow for 10 seconds or longer and associated with < 3% oxygen desaturation or an arousal It is a serious and potentially life threatening disease that is far more common than generally expected. Several risk factors, including obesity, male sex, age, and heritable factors, as well as the supine decubitus position during sleep. have been associated with an increased prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in the general population.

It has become a major health issue all over the world affecting quality of life with an increasing prevalence and associated with high comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, malignancies, and overall mortality. Results of different studies indicate that approximately 60-70% of patients with OSA are obese.

Snoring and witnessed apnea are more frequent among men but insomnia for example is more frequent among women. The OSA frequency increase with age for the women. The mortality is higher for women The data regarding association of OSA among nonobese patients is rare and needs great effort as fewer studies have reported magnitude of association.