SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE NASAL EVALUATION OF PATIENTS WITH OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA SYNDROME

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate and compare the nasal cavities of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) patients using subjective measures and objective measures (Nasal endoscopy, Acoustic Rhinometry, Rhinomanometry).

Methods: 55 OSAS patients were included. Two studies were carried out. Study 1 was between subjective measures and objective measures. Study 2 was between endoscopic measures and subjective measures.

Results: In study 1, there was a poor negative correlation between subjective measures and AR (NOSE and MCA: R= -0.099, NOSE and Nasal volume: R=-0.048, VAS and MCA: R=-0.091, VAS and Nasal volume: R=-0.031). There was a poor positive correlation between subjective measures and RM (NOSE and airway resistance: R=0.083, VAS and airway resistance: R=0.107). There was a strong positive correlation between two subjective methods (NOSE and VAS: R=0.887) and weak correlation between two objective methods, AR and RM (MCA and Airway resistance: R= -0.073, Nasal volume and Airway resistance: R= 0.073). In study 2, there was no association between subjective measures and nasal endoscopy (X2=2.49; P>0.1). There were association between nasal endoscopy and RM (X2=7.695; P<0.01) as well as with nasal endoscopy and AR (X2=3.61; P<0.05).

Conclusion: Although most results of correlation were in the expected direction, they were not highly significant. There was a poor correlation between the different evaluations methods used and there was a discrepancy between the subjective perception of the patients and the objective findings.

Keywords: Acoustic Rhinometery, Nasal endoscopy, Nasal obstruction, Nose, Rhinomanometer, VAS.