Vocal and Orofacial Myofunctional Characteristics of Individuals with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) involves recurrent upper airway obstructions during sleep, leading to fragmentation and oxygen desaturation. Vocal complaints and orofacial myofunctional changes are common, but few studies assess both aspects in diagnosed patients.

To assess vocal parameters and orofacial myofunctional conditions in adults diagnosed with OSA, comparing them to a control group at low risk for OSA.

Cross-sectional study. A convenience sample ( N  = 63) was included: 33 with OSA confirmed by polysomnography and 30 controls at low risk for OSA (STOP-BANG < 3 and no reported snoring in Stanford Snoring Scale), aged between 18-60 years. Assessments included perceptual-auditory analysis of voice quality (GRBASI scale, Vocal Symptom Scale (VSS), maximum phonation time (MPT) for vowels and s/z ratio) and orofacial myofunctional evaluation (OMES-E protocol). Participants who had received previous treatment or medical conditions affecting OSA, voice or orofacial function were excluded.

OSA group showed significantly higher scores on VSS and lower scores on OMES-E protocol. They also displayed shorter MPT, worse performance in s/z ratio, reduced pneumophonoarticulatory coordination, and higher frequency of vocal alterations. The OSA group revealed mean apnea-hypopnea index of 45.80, indicates predominance of severe cases, as well as increased desaturation index.

Individuals with OSA exhibit impairments in both orofacial myofunctional and vocal parameters, with negative alterations observed in MPT speech rate, pneumophonoarticulatory coordination, and s/z ratio compared with subjects with no OSA complaints. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating vocal and orofacial aspects together in OSA.