Does Snoring Change the Palatal Sensation?

Abstract

Objective: Patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) have impaired responses in inspiratory resistive loading during sleep. This may be due, in part, to a change in the upper airway sensation. Therefore, we hypothesized that patients with OSAS had diminished upper airway sensation due to snoring.

Method: Case-control study. Conducted: from May 2011 to March 2012. Participants were selected based on clinical evaluation and polysomnography. Two-point discrimination was measured with modified calipers in the tongue and soft palate.Independent variables: snoring time components.

Results: Comparing polysomnography, patients with impairment of their palatal sensory input in 2-point discrimination had longer longest-snoring episodes than those with normal sensation (P =.010). And patients with decreased sensory input in 2-point discrimination had longer average snoring episode duration than those with normal sensory input (P = .043). However, the total snoring time and relative snoring time also increased in patients with sensory impairment, but statistical significance was not found (P = .20, P = .24 respectively).

Conclusion: Two-point discrimination in the anterior tongue and soft palate was impaired in patients with OSAS. We speculate that this impairment might be due to a primary sensory function abnormality or secondary to nerve damage and/or hypoxemia caused by snoring. Further studies after treatment of OSAS are needed.