Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
07:54
Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Published on: December 6, 2016
Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, Complications, Diagnosis, Management, and Emerging
Nhi Ho Thi Thuy1,2, Thị Hằng Giang Phan1,2, Ali Hussein Eid3
1Department of Biomedical Sciences University of Sassari Sassari Italy.
Medcomm
|July 31, 2026
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a complex systemic disease, not just airway collapse. New metrics beyond the apnea-hypopnea index better capture OSA
Area of Science:
- Sleep Medicine
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent, underdiagnosed sleep disorder.
- It's increasingly viewed as a systemic disease with multifactorial origins.
- Conventional classification relies heavily on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI).
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an integrated overview of OSA, including its pathophysiology, consequences, and management.
- To highlight limitations of current severity classifications.
- To emphasize the role of fibrosis in OSA pathobiology and suggest future research directions.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on OSA epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical aspects.
- Integration of established knowledge with emerging fibrosis-oriented perspectives.
- Analysis of mechanistic, diagnostic, and translational priorities.
Main Results:
- OSA involves complex interactions: intermittent hypoxia, sleep fragmentation, sympathetic activation, and metabolic dysregulation.
- Physiologically enriched metrics (e.g., hypoxic burden, T90) may offer better risk assessment than AHI alone.
- Evidence suggests OSA contributes to fibrosis and structural remodeling in organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys.
Conclusions:
- OSA is a heterogeneous systemic disease requiring personalized management.
- Fibrosis-linked remodeling is a critical, under-recognized dimension of OSA.
- Future research should focus on advanced metrics and phenotype-aware stratification for improved clinical outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing stops intermittently during sleep, often leading to significant health issues. Each episode can last from 10 to 20 seconds or more and is frequently accompanied by a brief arousal from sleep. This disturbance, largely unnoticed by the individual, can lead to severe daytime fatigue. Commonly, individuals seek help after being informed by their partners about loud snoring and noticeable breathing pauses during sleep.
The condition is more prevalent among...
The condition is more prevalent among...
01:20Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) pathophysiology is intricate and multifaceted, involving a complex interplay of physiological processes. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for effectively managing and treating COPD. Here is an in-depth look at the critical elements in the pathophysiology of COPD:
Chronic Inflammation
Chronic Inflammation
01:17Other Pulmonary Disorders
Respiratory disorders encompass a range of conditions with varying levels of severity. Asthma, marked by chronic airway inflammation and hypersensitivity, is one such condition. It can lead to airway obstruction due to factors like bronchial spasms, mucosal edema, increased mucus secretion, or epithelial damage. Asthma triggers are diverse, ranging from allergens to emotional upset, and treatment focuses on both immediate relief through bronchodilators and long-term inflammation suppression.
01:24Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features
Chronic bronchitis is a key phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by airway-centered inflammation and mucus overproduction. It develops from long-term exposure to harmful particles or gases, most commonly cigarette smoke, which triggers a persistent inflammatory response.Cellular and Structural ChangesInflammation initially affects the large bronchi and later the smaller airways, with infiltration by immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and...
01:30Atherosclerosis I: Introduction
Atherosclerosis is a progressive disorder characterized by the buildup of plaques on the arterial inner wall, causing them to narrow and harden over time. These plaques comprise lipids, calcium, blood components, carbohydrates, and fibrous tissue. The process primarily affects the intima of large and medium-sized arteries, reducing blood flow in any artery.Etiology and risk factorsThe cause of atherosclerosis is multifactorial, involving a complex interplay among endothelial injury, lipid...
01:23Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease II: Emphysema
Emphysema, a major phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is characterized by irreversible destruction of alveolar walls and permanent enlargement of distal airspaces. Unlike chronic bronchitis, which primarily affects the airways, emphysema predominantly involves the lung parenchyma, where structural damage leads to airflow limitation.PathophysiologyIt most commonly results from prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke and other toxic gases, particularly cigarette smoke.