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An animal model of obstructive sleep apnea in rabbit
Myeong S Yu1, Na R Jung, Kyoung H Choi
1Department of Otolaryngology, Konkuk University Chungju Hospital, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Chungju.
Objectives/Hypothesis:
An animal model of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may help to investigate the pathophysiology of this disorder and develop appropriate treatments. We investigated the feasibility of a rabbit model of OSA.
Study Design:
Animal study.
Methods:
Twelve New Zealand white rabbits were injected at the base of their tongues under endoscopic guidance with liquid silicone (experimental group, n = 6) or normal saline (control group, n = 6). Polysomnography was performed before and after injection. The development of OSA and changes in sleep parameters were compared between the two groups.
Results:
Before injection, all rabbits showed normal breathing during sleep without hypopnea. In the silicone group, the rabbits had a mean of 29.9 ± 6.9 hypopneas/hour and a mean of 10.4 ± 3.1 apneas/hour 1 month after silicone injection and 28.4 ± 6.9 hypopneas/hour and 10.0 ± 3.3 apneas/hour 3 months after silicone injection (P < 0.05). Mean total sleep time decreased from 260.3 ± 70.2 minutes at baseline to 152.5 ± 38.8 minutes 1 month and 206.8 ± 60.3 minutes 3 months after injection, with a decrease in stage II sleep. In the saline group, however, there were no breathing events during sleep.
Conclusions:
These results show that silicone injections into the tongue base of rabbits can result in OSA.
