Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

We have studied the predictive importance of neck circumference, obesity, and several radiographic pharyngeal dimensions for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), in 66 patients. OSA was quantified as the mean hourly number of greater than 4% dips in arterial oxygen saturation during sleep. Neck circumference (correlation coefficient (r) = 0.63, 95% confidence interval (C.I.) 0.46-0.76), obesity index (r = 0.54, 95% C.I. 0.39-0.69), hyoid position (r = 0.40, 95% C.I. 0.17-0.59), soft palate length (r = 0.31, 95% C.I. 0.08-0.51), and hard palate-to-spine angle (r = 0.29, 95% C.I. 0.04-0.49), correlated significantly with saturation dips in single regression analysis. In stepwise multiple linear regression analysis (saturation dip rate as the dependent variable), only neck size and retroglossal space were significant independent correlates (total r2 = 0.42, 95% C.I. 0.22-0.61, p less than 0.0001). We conclude that the relationships between general obesity, hyoid position, soft palate length, and OSA are probably secondary to variation in neck circumference.

Type

Journal article

Journal

The European respiratory journal

Publication Date

05/1990

Volume

3

Pages

509 - 514

Addresses

Sleep Clinic, Churchill Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK.

Keywords

Neck, Pharynx, Humans, Sleep Apnea Syndromes, Obesity, Oxygen, Radiography, Regression Analysis, Posture, Middle Aged, Female, Male