• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.169-176
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• 2012

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is prevalent disorder, particularly among the middle-aged. In this study, we report a new approach to improve OSA using oriental medicine and acupuncture. Methods: Three men diagnosed with OSA were enrolled in this study. They took oriental medicine 3 times a day and were given acupuncture twice a week for about 4 months. Results: We analyzed apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index (ODI), average saturation (AS) and lowest saturation (LS) before and after treatment. AHI highly decreased in all patients and ODI also decreased in two of the three patients. Conclusions: These results indicate that oriental medicine and acupuncture therapy was effective in the improvement of OSA. Further study in a larger group with severity grades is recommended.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.249-258
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• 2015

Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are the representative sleep disordered breathings, caused by the temporary and repetitive constriction or obstruction of upper airway during sleep. They present with excessively vibratory noise and repetitive cease of respiration. These disorders commonly result in sleep disturbance and the subsequent daytime sleepiness, chronic fatigue. Furthermore, they can cause the serious and extensive complications including increased risk of hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular accident, neurocognitive disturbance, traffic and occupational accidents, type II diabetes, childhood growth interruption, awakening headache and finally, relatively increased mortality rate. Because appropriate therapeutic intervention is best way for patients to relieve their symptoms and prevent their possible complications, it is very important for dentists to recognize their own role and responsibility in diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. For this, the present article provides the understanding of the clinical features, possible complications, various treatment modalities, and suitable treatment strategies for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.5-9
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• 2004

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder characterized by recurrent cessation of breathing due to complete or partial upper airway occlusion during sleep. The incompetent tone of palatal, pharngeal, and glossal muscles which fail to maintain airway patency during sleep causes narrowing of the airway dimension and increased resistance of breathing. The identification of the sites of upper airway obstruction in patients with OSA is important in understanding the pathogenesis and deciding the treatment modality of snoring and/or OSA. Various upper airway imaging modalities have been used to assess upper airway size and precise localization of the sites of upper airway obstruction during sleep. Dynamic imaging modalities enabled assessment of dimensional changes in the upper airway during respiration and sleep. This article focused on reviews of various upper airway imaging modalities, especially dynamic upper airway imaging studies providing important information on the pathogenesis of OSA.

• 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.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.115-126
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• 2010

This case report describes the treatment of a 66 year old adult patient with a diagnosis of severe obstructive sleep apnea who was intolerant of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) treatment and oral appliance therapy. An alternative treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with 2 orthodontic microimplants anchored to the mandible providing skeletal anchorage for mandibular advancement was implemented. After a 2 week healing period, a custom designed facemask provided extraoral anchorage to which the microimplants were connected to for titratable mandibular advancement. Microimplant Mandibular Advancement (MiMA) therapy resulted in resolution of the symptoms of severe OSA with a reduction of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), snoring and OSA symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.205-209
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• 2012

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea and is caused by obstruction of the upper airway. It is characterized by repetitive pauses in breathing during sleep despite the effort to breathe. Apnea is closely related to clinical findings and respiratory disturbance index (RDI). The total subjects were 42 (male 26, female 16) and examined by polysomography (PSG) in terms of RDI above 5 and below 5 at Mok-Dong Hospital in Ewha Womans University from January to June, 2012. The study revealed the followings: The comparison of clinical findings and RDI above 5 showed significant increase in age, BMI, and snoring sound although lowest $SpO_2$ level decreased. The correlation coefficient analysis between clinical findings and RDI showed statistically significant correlation in age, BMI, lowest $SpO_2$ although snoring sound and average $SpO_2$ showed statistically insignificant correlation.

• 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).

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was done to test structural equation modeling of health-related quality of life (QOL) of men with obstructive sleep apnea in order to identify parameters affecting QOL and provide guidelines for interventions and strategies to improve QOL in these patients. Methods: Model construction was based on 'The conceptual model of patient outcome in health-related QOL' by Wilson and Cleary, using the variables; age, physiological factors, social support, cognitive appraisal, symptoms and QOL. Participants were 201 adult male patients recruited at a tertiary university hospital in Seoul. Data were collected via questionnaires, polysomnography, and clinical records. Results: Age and symptoms directly influenced QOL. Social support and cognitive appraisal about sleep did not have a direct influence on QOL, but indirectly affected it via symptoms. QOL was lower in patients who were younger and had more severe symptoms. Symptoms were more severe for patients with lower social support and more dysfunctional cognitive appraisal. When social support was lower, cognitive appraisal was more dysfunctional. Conclusion: These results suggest it is necessary to not only manage symptoms, but also apply interventions to increase social support and cognitive appraisal about sleep in order to increase QOL in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

• 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.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2005

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.