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Published on: December 6, 2016
Tongue shape in obstructive sleep apnea patients
1Department of Orthodontics, The University of Connecticut Health Center, USA. pae@up.uchc.edu
The Angle Orthodontist
|May 5, 1999
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients show distinct tongue shapes compared to non-apneic individuals. Eigenshape analysis of cephalograms in the supine position can effectively differentiate between these groups.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Sleep Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Clinical observations suggest potential differences in tongue morphology between individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and healthy subjects.
- Quantifying these subtle shape variations presents a challenge due to the difficulty in establishing consistent anatomical landmarks on the tongue.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and determine if significant differences in tongue shape exist between OSA patients and non-apneic individuals.
- To evaluate the utility of eigenshape analysis as a method for distinguishing between these groups.
Main Methods:
- Employed eigenshape analysis, a morphometric technique that converts tongue contour data into numerical representations (tangent angles).
- Utilized cephalograms from 80 male patients, analyzed in both upright and supine positions.
- Subjects were categorized into four groups based on OSA symptom severity.
Main Results:
- Graphical comparison of tongue shape variations in the supine position revealed clear distinctions between the non-apneic group and the OSA groups.
- The eigenshape analysis successfully differentiated tongue shape patterns associated with OSA.
Conclusions:
- Eigenshape analysis applied to cephalograms in the supine position appears to be a valuable tool for differentiating OSA subjects from non-apneic individuals.
- This technique offers a reproducible method for assessing tongue shape variations relevant to OSA diagnosis.
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