Humans ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; diagnosis ; pathology

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Palatine Tonsil ; pathology ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; pathology ; surgery ; Tongue ; pathology

OBJECTIVE: To observe the histopathologic and morphological changes of palatopharyngeal soft tissues in patients with different degrees of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patients. METHOD: Thirty-eight male OSAHS patients were divided into 3 groups according to AHI, namely mild group (n = 10), moderate group (n = 13),and severe group (n = 15). The soft palate tissues with partial palatopharyngeal arch and palatoglossal arch tissues were obtained from surgery and processed with conventional paraffin embedding. The sections were stained by HE and observed under a light microscope. The histological quantitative changes of the specimens were measured by analyzing the constituent ratios of glandular tissue, fat tissue and interstitial elements. Statistical analysis was performed. RESULT: 1) Optical microscope showed that (100 times), as the aggravation of the OSAHS, the soft palate squamous epithelial cells are swollen and irregular, exhibiting hyperkeratosis, accompanied by liquefied degeneration of basal cell; The mucous membrane and submucosal connective tissue contain a certain number of lymphocytes infiltration. The mucosa and submucosal layer of loose connective tissue contain inflammatory cells and a lot of fat vacuoles can be observed; The soft palate mucous acini have inconsistent and irregular shape, among which there are a certain amount of fat cells infiltration. Some mucous acini are replaced by serous acini with dark stained cytoplasm; The palatoglossal muscle and palatopharyngeus muscle fibers can't be identified with disordered arrangement of structure, showing pleomorphic changes including swelling, atrophy and degeneration. Some of elastic fibers were disrupted and a lot of fat cells infiltration was observed. (2) The constituent ratios of the three kinds of tissues in soft palate from different degrees of OSAHS patients show that quantitative changes of glandular tissue and interstitial elements among the mild, moderate and severe OSAHS group patients exhibit statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). The constituent ratio of vascular components between mild and severe groups and that between moderate and severe groups exhibit statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). The constituent ratio changes of vascular components between mild and moderate groups show no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION With the rising of severity of OSAHS, the soft palate squamous epithelial cells are swollen and irregular, exhibiting hyperkeratosis. Between acinar cell we could see a certain amount of fat cells infiltration. Some mucous acini are replaced by serous acini. Muscle fibers of palatopharyngeal tissue have pleomorphic changes of swelling, atrophy and degeneration.
Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Palate, Soft ; pathology ; Pharyngeal Muscles ; pathology ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; classification ; pathology

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of nasal obstruction on OSAHS. METHOD: One hundred and twenty cases of OSAHS with or without nasal obstruction were analyzed by Hypno PTT(PTT)and Mallampati score (MS); Acoustic rhinometry was measured in all 120 cases. RESULT: A significant correlation was found between the MS and the AHI measured during the sleep (r = 0.266, P < 0.01). The relative risk of OSAHS with a MS of III or IV in the whole group was 1.96, and 2.46 in cases with nasal obstruction. CONCLUSION A high MS represents a predisposing factor for OSAHS, especially in which associated with nasal obstruction.
Humans ; Nasal Obstruction ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Rhinometry, Acoustic ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Tongue ; pathology

Sudden unexplained nocturnal death syndrome （SUNDS） is always a difficulty in forensic medicine researches. Although the development of molecular genetics promotes the etiologic study of SUNDS, the pathogenesis of most such cases is still unclear. Sleep apnea syndrome （SAS） is one of the common forms of sleep disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome （OSAHS） is the most common. In recent years, some domestic and international researches show that OSAHS is related to the development of cardiovascular disease, which may cause cardiac arrhythmia, even sudden death. This article reviews the relationship between SUNDS and OSAHS and aims to provide new ideas for the pathogenesis of SUNDS.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Brugada Syndrome/pathology* ; Death, Sudden/etiology* ; Humans ; Male ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/pathology*

Enuresis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Polysomnography ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; diagnosis ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVE: To study the pathological changes of genioglossus with transmission electron microscope (TEM) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) dominated by lingual region obstruction, and to explore the role of tongue organizations in the pathogenesis and its clinical significance. METHOD: Thirty-eight cases of genioglossus were collected from the patients received UPPP and partial glossectomy (3060 severe group 15 cases), 6 adult patients without oropharyneal and hypopharyneal obstructive disease received tongue tumor resection or trauma debridement surgery were collected as control group. The features of morphological changes in genioglossus were observed by TEM. RESULT: Under the TEM, in the control group,the muscle fibers of the genioglossus organization arranges regular, mitochondrial shape between muscle was regular; The below 3 kinds of variations existed simultaneously in all genioglossus specimens of all the OSAHS patients. In the mild group, myofibrillar atrophied, arranged sloppily, the gap was increased, localized filaments were edema, connective tissue between muscle bundles was proliferated, mitochondria were swelling, some were spherical, crests were still clear; In the moderate group, myofibrillar obviously atrophied with different diametric sizes and disorderliness, the Z lines were shortened or distorted, part of the myofibrillar ruptured, dissolved or disappeared, the connective tissues between muscle bundles were obviously proliferated, mitochondria were swellen, vacuolar degeneration, crests were vague, shorten and irregulatio; In the severe group, a large number of myofibrillar were fractured, dissolved, disorganized, integrated condensate lumpy, spotty or flake arranged, Z-lines were distorted or disappeared. Mitochondria were sizes, showed vacuolar degeneration, crests were disappeared, some changes were flocculent, mitochondria accumulation phenomenon was visible in some samples. Moreover, with the AHI increased, the occurence ratio of mild changes was decreased while severe changes occurence ratio increased. CONCLUSION The changes of genioglossus and mitochondrial in OSAHS patients is a continuous, progressive process, moverover, with the aggravation of OSAHS, genioglossus histopathological changes had gradually worsening tendency.
Adult ; Glossectomy ; Humans ; Mitochondria ; Muscle, Skeletal ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; complications ; Tongue ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo identify the patterns of airway collapse in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS) by dexmedetomidine induced sleep endoscopy.

METHODSForty-five obstructive sleep apnea patients diagnosed by polysomnography were given dexmedetomidine intravenously. Once the patient was sedated in dorsal position, the electronic nasopharyngoscope was inserted transnasally and positioned on five levels of the upper airway sequentially (velum, oropharyngeal lateral wall, tongue base, epiglottis and larynx) to observe and document the collapse. Each level should be observed no less than three apneas. The degree of airway narrowing was calculated by using the ImageTool. No obstruction was defined when the degree of airway narrowing <50%, and complete obstruction when ≥ 75%.

RESULTSIn 45 patients with OSAHS, 1 case showed no obstruction on any level, 6 cases demonstrated obstructions on single level only, and 38 cases demonstrated complete obstructions on multilevel, including 17 cases with complete obstructions on two levels, 15 cases complete obstructions on three levels, and 6 cases complete obstructions on four levels. The patterns of collapse found in the trial were: (1) circumferential stricture by velum collapse was found in 43 patients, and 41 cases showed complete obstructions; (2) the side wall of oropharynx all collapsed in a lateral configuration, and 32 cases showed complete obstructions on this level; (3) anteroposterior swallowing tongue base was common, 11 cases showed partial obstructions on level of tongue base, and 10 cases complete; (4) epiglottic collapses occurred in lateral configuration folding as V shape; in anteroposterior configuration, epiglottis met posterior wall of the pharynx due to swallowing tongue base; the server soften epiglottis obstructed the entrance of the larynx, while the mild soften epiglottis and the collapsed side wall of pharynx came into being obstructions in concentric configuration; (5) the arytenoid area and aryepiglottic fold mucosa inwardly covered the glottis when the obstruction occurred in the larynx.

CONCLUSIONSThe patterns of hypopharynx obstructions in OSAHS patients are multifarious. Lateral oropharyngeal wall, epiglottic and tone base collapse play an important role in the obstructions. The laryngeal obstruction can also be observed.

Adult ; Airway Obstruction ; pathology ; Endoscopy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sleep ; drug effects ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo understand how sleep stage and position influence the mechanisms for pharyngeal collapse in different levels of upper airway (UA), overnight state-related changes and postural variation in obstructive sites in obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patients were studied.

METHODSFifty four OSAHS patients underwent overnight upper airway pressure monitoring during polysomnography. The lower limits of the UA obstruction were determined and their relationship with sleep stage, position, age, body mass index and apnea hypopnea index (AHI) were investigated.

RESULTSAll 54 patients had oropharynx (14 837 of the 23 172 analyzed events) and tongue base obstruction (5605/23,172), 2532 events were located at the oropharynx with extension to tongue base. Twenty nine patients has hypopharynx obstruction (105/23 172). Of the total amount of apnea hypopnea, the portions of obstruction located at tongue base level increased (t = 8.790, P = 0.000) in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep while those located at oropharynx decreased (t = -6.846, P = 0.000). Indexes of the apnea hypopnea caused by tongue base obstruction raised (t = 6.189, P = 0.000). Although the overall AHI in supine position was higher than in lateral position (t = 4.000, P = 0.000), increases in indexes of both the apnea hypopnea caused by tongue base (supine, 17.1 +/- 13.8 vs. lateral, 13.9 +/- 14.6) and oropharynx obstruction (44.3 +/- 20.3 vs. 37.2 +/- 25.9) were without significance (P > 0.05). Distribution of obstructive site varied little with different position (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSUpper airway obstruction involves more than one specific site of the upper airway and the oropharynx is the most common collapse site. Obstructive sites are likely to extend to lower levels during REM sleep. Sleep position has little effect on the distribution of obstructive site.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pharynx ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Polysomnography ; Posture ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Sleep Stages ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDIt is believed that defects in upper airway neuromuscular control play a role in sleep apnea pathogenesis. Currently, there is no simple and non-invasive method for evaluating neuromuscular activity for the purpose of screening in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. This study was designed to assess the validity of chin surface electromyography of routine polysomnography in evaluating the neuromuscular activity of obstructive sleep apnea subjects and probe the neuromuscular contribution in the pathogenesis of the condition.

METHODSThe chin surface electromyography of routine polysomnography during normal breathing and obstructive apnea were quantified in 36 male patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The change of chin surface electromyography from normal breathing to obstructive apnea was expressed as the percent compensated electromyography value, where the percent compensated electromyography value = (normal breath surface electromyography - apnea surface electromyography)/normal breath surface electromyography, and the percent compensated electromyography values among subjects were compared. The relationship between sleep apnea related parameters and the percent compensated electromyography value was examined.

RESULTSThe percent compensated electromyography value of the subjects varied from 1% to 90% and had a significant positive correlation with apnea hypopnea index (R(2) = 0.382, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSRecording and analyzing chin surface electromyography by routine polysomnography is a valid way of screening the neuromuscular activity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The neuromuscular contribution is different among subjects with obstructive sleep apnea.

Adult ; Chin ; physiopathology ; Electromyography ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polysomnography ; methods ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; pathology ; physiopathology