Mouth Closure and Airflow in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Mouth breathing is associated with increased airway resistance, pharyngeal collapsibility, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity. The common belief is that closing the mouth can mitigate the negative effects of mouth breathing during sleep. However, mouth breathing may serve as an essential route to bypassing obstruction along the nasal route (eg, the velopharynx).

Objective

To investigate the role of mouth breathing as an essential route in some patients with OSA and its association with upper airway anatomical factors.

Design, setting, and participants

This nonrandomized clinical trial included participants diagnosed with OSA who underwent drug-induced sleep endoscopy. Patients were stratified into 3 quantiles based on oral-breathing level (quantile

SUBMITTER: Yang H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12316187 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature