Thyroidectomy decreases snoring and sleep apnea symptoms

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Endocrinology
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Goiter can cause compressive symptoms potentially leading to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
• The direct impact of thyroid enlargement on OSA symptoms remains unclear.
• Investigating the resolution of sleep apnea symptoms post-thyroidectomy is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the improvement in obstructive sleep apnea symptoms after thyroidectomy.
• To assess the efficacy of surgical intervention for thyroid enlargement in mitigating sleep-related breathing disorders.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the validated Berlin Questionnaire to assess sleep apnea risk before and 8 weeks after thyroidectomy.
• Administered questionnaires to patients experiencing snoring symptoms at a single academic institution.
• Analyzed questionnaire data to determine changes in OSA risk categories and symptom severity.

Main Results:

• 71% of patients screened high risk for OSA pre-surgery, decreasing to 51% post-surgery (p=0.002).
• Significant improvements observed in overall OSA scores (p<0.0001), snoring frequency (p=0.002), snoring bothersomeness (p=0.004), and daytime sleepiness (p=0.02).
• Higher preoperative thyrotropin levels were associated with less improvement in OSA symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Thyroidectomy appears to significantly alleviate obstructive sleep apnea symptoms in patients with pre-existing OSA risk.
• Clinicians should consider evaluating thyroid disease in patients presenting with OSA symptoms.
• Thyroid surgery offers a potential therapeutic avenue for improving sleep apnea in affected individuals.