Pathogenesis and Mechanism of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
- Author:
Ji Ho CHOI
1
;
Seung Hoon LEE
;
Chol SHIN
Author Information
1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Respiratory Internal Medicine, Korea University, College of Medicine, 516 Gojan-Dong, Ansancity, Korea. chol-shin@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords:
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome;
Pathogenesis;
Mechanism;
Treatment
- MeSH:
Compliance;
Humans;
Hypertrophy;
Macroglossia;
Mechanoreceptors;
Pharyngeal Muscles;
Sleep Apnea Syndromes;
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive*
- From:Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
2005;12(2):105-110
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
The pathogenesis and mechanism of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been under investigation for over 25 years, but its etiology and mechanism remains elusive. Skeletal (maxillary and/or mandibular hypoplasia or retrodisplacement, inferior displacement of hyoid) and soft tissue (increased volume of soft tissue, adenotonsillar hypertrophy, macroglossia, thickened lateral pharyngeal walls) factors, pharyngeal compliance (increased), pharyngeal muscle factors (impaired strength and endurance of pharyngeal dilators and fixators), sensory factors (impaired mechanoreceptor sensitivity, impaired pharyngeal dilator reflexes), respiratory control system factors (unstable respiratory control) and so on facilitate collapse upper airway. Therefore, OSA may be a heterogeneous disorder, rather than a single disease entity and various pathogenic factors contribute to the OSA varies person to person. As a result, patients may respond to different therapeutic approaches based on the predominant abnormality leading to the sleep disordered breathing.
