Impact of tongue fat volume on obstructive sleep apnea in non-obese patients.

ABSTRACT: Evidence suggests excess head and neck adipose tissue contributes to OSA, particularly in obese patients. Surgical treatments are often ineffective in this subset of the population. We sought to investigate the role of tongue fat in the normal and overweight populations. In this prospective cohort study, patients underwent overnight polysomnography and MRI using a Dixon sequence. Volumetric reconstruction evaluated the size and distribution of tongue fat deposits in subjects with and without sleep apnea. The study included 86 patients; mean age of 42.2 (SD 11.2) years, 16% female. Average BMI 27.5 kg/m² (SD 2.9), with 18.6% (n = 16) normal BMI, 61.6% (n = 53) overweight, 19.8% (n = 17) obese. Logistic regression lines showed positive associations for BMI and age with AHI. No sig

SUBMITTER: Orestes MI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12484950 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature