Factors influencing the prediction of obstructive sleep apnea: an observational study from a developing country

Upper airway anatomy is important in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This study conducted a correlation analysis between the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) score and upper airway measurements obtained from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), arch measurements obtained from diagnostic casts, and subjective data from patients' records, including the Berlin Sleep Questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale.

Twenty-five subjects with a confirmed diagnosis of OSA via polysomnography with a mean AHI of 25.5 (SD18.5) were enrolled in this study.

A significant correlation was found between the AHI score and the following factors: male sex, obesity categories, Berlin questionnaire category, sleep efficiency, and maxillary intermolar width measured between the mesiobuccal cusp tip of the right and left first molars. Airway measurements from CBCT, including anterior cranial base length, facial proportion, and the length of the soft palate in the mid-sagittal plane and the retroglossal area in the axial plane, were significantly correlated with the AHI score.

In addition to male gender and obesity, anatomic factors related to upper airway measurements on CBCT are significantly correlated with AHI, indicating upper airway limitations, OSA severity, and aiding early diagnosis.