• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.267-275
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• 2005

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by sleep-induced obstruction of the upper airway that results in cessation of airflow. Obstruction can occur at a number of points in the airway, but frequently in the oropharynx. A diagnostic evaluation includes cephalometry, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, acoustic reflection technique, polysomnography and fibroptic endoscopy. Cephalometric measurements of the patients with obstructive sleep apnea have revealed that posterior airway anatomy has strong relations with the symptoms of them. A lateral cephalogram is routinely obtained in the radiologic evaluation of sleep apnea patients. The purpose of this study is to provide a the lateral cephalometric korean norms for the diagnosis and treatment of the patients with obstructive sleep apnea by analyzing the abnormal occlusion of Korean adults.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.590-596
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• 2001

The hallmarks of sleep apnea syndrome include daytime hypersomnolence, snoring, obesity, disturbed nocturnal sleep, and apneic episodes. Thyroid deficiency states are now a well recognized cause of sleep apnea. Central, obstructive, and mixed patterns of sleep apnea may be observed in hypothyroidism. A-33-yr-old man was admitted complaining of daytime hypersomnolence, snoring, sleep apnea and obesity. A polysomnogram showed obstructive pattern of sleep apnea syndrome. Physical examination and hormonal study revealed a narrowing of the upper airway and primary hypothyroidism. Dilated cardiomyopathy was diagnosed by echocardiogram. The poctients was treated for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with nasal continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) for 2 months and the underlying hypothyroidism with thyroid hormone therapy. This successfully controlled the snoring, sleep apnea, and other apnea-related symptoms. Here, we describe our experience of nasal CP AP and thyroid hormone therapy in a patient with primary hypothyroidism associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and dilated cardiomyopathy with review of the relevant literature.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.68-71
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• 2005

We report a case of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, which occurred primarily during the REM sleep stage. A 55-year-old female patient who complained of chronic insomnia on the initial visit turned out to have obstructive sleep apnea syndrome of a mild degree (respiratory disturbance index (RDI) of 13.8/hour, %time spent below 90% of SaO2=5.0%) on nocturnal polysomnography. Interestingly, apnea episodes and desaturations mainly occurred during REM sleep stage. And RDI and destaturations during REM sleep stage were found to be severe enough to classify as a severe degree of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. These findings suggest that severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome might be masked under the symptom of chronic insomnia and that apneas can be predominantly localized within REM sleep epochs. In terms of treatment, "REM sleep-dependent" apneas may call for different methods of treatment, especially REM sleep-specific pharmacological intervention.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2001

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is common and may produce various symptoms and serious complications. A substantial number of research articles on obstructive sleep apnea syndrome have been published in Korea. However, we found such limitations as lack of sufficient sample size and lack of polysomnography-proven cases. Therefore, we aimed at studying clinical features and sleep structure in a sufficient number of Korean patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome diagnostically confirmed with polysomnography. Methods: We studied 801 subjects referred to the Division of Sleep Studies, Seoul National University Hospital, who were diagnosed as having obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with polysomnography. Subjects were excluded if they had central sleep apnea syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, narcolepsy or REM sleep behavior disorder. Foreign patients were also excluded. First of all, we studied the clinical features of the subjects. Secondly, we compared sleep-related parameters of the study subjects with those of age/sex-matched normal values. Thirdly, correlations of respiratory disturbance index (RDI) with each of the sleep-related parameters were calculated. Results: Among the 801 subjects, 668 were male subjects (83.4%) and 133 female subjects (16.4%). Their mean age was 46.6 years (${\pm}13.5$). The mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.8 (${\pm}3.8$) and subjects with BMI was over 28.0 accounted for 22.8% of the total. Fifty subjects (6.2%) were found to take benzodiazepines. Mean RDI and mean nocturnal oxygen saturation of all subjects was 31.2 (${\pm}24.4$) and 94.5% (${\pm}3.6$), respectively. In comparison with normal values, the subjects showed longer sleep latency, lower sleep efficiency, decreased total slow wave sleep % (TSWS %), and decreased total REM sleep % (TREM %)(p<0.01 in all). RDI had a negative correlation with each TSWS % and TREM % (p<0.01, p<0.01). However, RDI did not have significant correlation with either sleep latency or sleep efficiency. Conclusion: In this study, 6.2% of patients diagnosed as having obstructive sleep apnea syndrome were found to take benzodiazepines, although they are generally considered to be of litte benefit or even dangerous because of the respiratory suppressing effect. The proportion of obese subjects was only 22.8% and Korean patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome seem to be less obese than those described in foreign journals. This study also suggests that the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome may have a more significant effect on sleep architecture defined as TSWS % and TREM % than on sleep efficiency.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.67-70
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• 2008

Overlap syndrome can be defined as a coexistence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS). The association of COPD and SAHS has been suspected because of the frequency of both diseases. Prevalence of COPD and SAHS is respectively 10 and 5% of the adult population over 40 years of age. However, a recent study has shown that the prevalence of SAHS is not higher in COPD than in the general population. The coexistence of the two diseases is only due to chance. SAHS does not affect the pathophysiology of COPD and vice versa. Prevalence of overlap syndrome is expected to occur in about 0.5% of the adult population over 40 years of age. Patients with overlap syndrome have a more profound hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and pulmonary hypertension when compared with patients with SAHS alone or usual COPD patients without SAHS. To treat the overlap syndrome, nocturnal noninvasive ventilation (NIV) or nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) can be applied with or without nocturnal oxygen supplement.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.98-104
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• 2005

Approximately 1% to 3% of all children have obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). OSAS in children can lead to a variety of symptoms and sequalae; impairment of development and quality of life, behavioral and personality disturbance, learning problem, cor pulmonale and hypertension. Diagnosis and treatment of OASA for children are different from those for adults in many respects. Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is major cause of childhood OSAS. Overnight polysomnography in a sleep laboratory is the gold standard for diagnosing childhood OSAS. However, because full polysomnography in children may be difficult to obtain, expensive, and inconvenient, other methods to diagnose OSAS have been investigated. Adenotonsillectomy is the most common surgical treatment of childhood OSAS. But if residual symptoms remained after adenotonsillectomy, it should be considered to additional treatment such as weight control, sleep positional change, and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.238-243
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• 1995

Sleep Apnea Syndrome is characterized by hypersomnolence, snoring, and sleep apnea. The symptoms of hypothyroidism include apathy, somnolence, lethargy, personality change, and intellectual deterioration and may be related to hypothyroid-related sleep disorders. Central, obstructive, and mixed patterns of sleep apnea may be observed in hypothyroidism. A 60-yr-old man was admitted due to hypersomnolence, snoring and generalized edema. Polysomnogram showed obstructive pattern of sleep apnea syndrome. Neck CT scan revealed narrowing of upper airway which is consistent with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Physical examination and hormonal study also disclosed the evidence of hypothyroidism. We report a case of sleep apnea syndrome due to primary hypothyroidism with review of literatures.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.279-287
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• 2019

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by obstructive events of the upper airway (UAW) during sleep, which can be associated with clinical signs and symptoms such as snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, impaired memory, and fatigue. It is associated with many problems like psychosocial problems, physiologic alterations in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems as a result of hypoxia and repeated awakenings during sleep. Conservative treatments such as weight loss, sleep positioning, improvement of sleep hygiene, CPAP and MAD can be performed for the obstructive sleep apnea. However, their effect for the OSA is limited and differs by patient's individual properties. Accordingly, surgical reconstructions of the upper airway must be carried out for the treatment of OSA.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.172-181
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• 1994

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS) is most frequently diagnosed in the sleep laboratories and its severity is objectively estimated. In terms of treatment, the most prevalent method is the continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) application as of now. However, in Korea, CPAP is still not sufficiently known and it is attributable to the fact that sleep study facilities have not been popularized. In this article, the authors present their own experience with CPAP in nine subjects with OSAS. In this study, CPAP was found to decrease stage 1 sleep and to increase stage 2 sleep, with increasing mean oxygen saturation and decreasing lowest oxygen saturation during nocturnal sleep. Also, it tended to increase sleep continuity and generally to improve sleep architecture. Rebound slow wave and/or REM sleep stages during CPAP were also noted in 8 out of 9 cases. The authors suggest that CPAP should be considered as the primary mode of treatment for patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and related educational programs for physicians should be developed and provided by sleep specialists.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.212-214
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• 2012

Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RTS) is characterized by peculiar facies, mental retardation, broad thumbs, and great toes. Approximately one-third of the affected individuals have a variety of congenital heart diseases. They can also have upper airway obstruction during sleep, due to hypotonia and the anatomy of the oropharynx and airway, which make these patients susceptible to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In our case, pulmonary hypertension was caused, successively, by congenital heart defects (a large patent ductus arteriosus and arch hypoplasia) and obstructive sleep apnea during early infancy. The congenital heart defects were surgically corrected, but persistent pulmonary hypertension was identified 2 months after the operation. This pulmonary hypertension was due to OSA, and it was relieved by nasal continuous positive airway pressure. This case is the first report of pulmonary hypertension from OSA in a young infant with RTS.