Identifying obstructive sleep apnea in patients presenting for laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty

The authors report on a series of 850 patients with snoring who were evaluated for laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP). Stepwise multivariate linear regression was employed to correlate patient symptoms and characteristics to the respiratory disturbance index (RDI). Body mass index, falling asleep while driving, snoring every night, and stopping breathing during sleep were found to correlate strongly with an increasing RDI (variance of 25%). Logistic multivariate linear regression analysis was used to predict the outcome of apnea (RDI>10). This model selected all of the above variables, as well as age, male sex, and the total number of symptoms, as being strong predictors of apnea. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to describe the ability of this model to predict apnea. The authors conclude that otolaryngologists play an important role in the evaluation of OSAS, especially when a snoring patient may undergo LAUP, and they present an algorithm for the evaluation of such a patient. The authors believe that the clinical assessment, including a thorough history and a complete physical examination, remains extremely important in this evaluation. At present, the authors strongly recommend referral for a PSG if there is any suspicion of OSAS.