Sleep bruxism episodes in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome determined by in‐laboratory polysomnography

Abstract

Findings on sleep bruxism (SB) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) are controversial, and some of these findings have relied on in‐laboratory polysomnography (PSG). We aimed to identify the factors associated with SB episodes in 100 patients with OSAS using in-laboratory PSG records. Subjects with OSAS were divided into those with and without SB episodes. We analyzed the differences in patient characteristics and PSG indices. Age, gender, height, weight, body mass index, neck, waist, and hip circumferences, and the rates of hypertension and diabetes mellitus were not significantly different between the two groups. A greater proportion of stage N2 sleep in the total sleep time, longer total sleep time, longer sleep time in a supine position, shorter sleep time in a nonsupine position, lower apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), lower AHI regardless of sleeping position, lower AHI during nonrapid eye movement sleep, and higher mean oxygen saturation level were associated with SB episodes in patients with OSAS. Among these factors, longer sleep time in a supine position remained a statistically significant factor in multivariate analysis. We conclude that longer sleep time in a supine position (especially > 280 min) might be associated with SB episodes in patients with OSAS.