Relación de la amplitud anteroposterior del espacio faríngeo superior e inferior y la caracterización esquelética con la somnolencia diurna sugestiva de SAOS

Abstract

Introduction or background: The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome Is a respiratory disease that presents characteristic signs such as snoring, a complete obstruction of airflow through nose and mouth that lasts at least 10 seconds, fragmentation of sleep, non-repairable sleep, daytime drowsiness, and multiple systemic alterations which compromise the general health status of the individual. Worldwide, it is found in 4% in men while only in 2 or 3% in women; although it is important to know that this alteration is underdiagnosed. Objective: to determine the anterior-posterior amplitude of the superior and inferior pharyngeal space which is measured in lateral cephalic X-rays and its relationship with skeletal malocclusions and with daytime drowsiness when applying the sleepiness questionnaire in patients who attended consultation for orthodontic treatment at the dental clinics of the Santo Tomas university of Floridablanca. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was designed in 146 patients. The relationship of the amplitude of the upper and lower pharyngeal space with the skeletal characterization along with the results of the Epworth sleepiness questionnaire was evaluated. Results and conclusions: Out of the 146 patients who participated, 56.8% were women; the average age was 29.3 years. According to the Epworth test, 38.4% had excessive daytime drowsiness. From the McNamara’s cephalometric analysis, it was possible to find that the class II skeletal was the most predominant with 81.5%, 76% of the patients presented hypoventilation of the upper pharyngeal space and 76.7% of the lower pharyngeal space. The values of Steiner according to the upper and lower jaw had a relationship with the questionnaire’s value meaning the more upper or lower retrognathism there is, a higher score of the Epworth test was found, resulting in the greater the delay in the bone position, the more daytime drowsiness there will be. A relationship was also found between patients over 40 years of age with a high blood mass index and the higher scores of Epworth test showing a high suspicion of presenting this syndrome.