Orofacial myofunctional profile of patients with sleep disorders: Relationship with result of polysomnography

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to characterize the orofacial myofunctional profile of patients with sleep disorders and to relate them to the severity of the polysomnography result. Methods: A cross-sectional, field study of patients referred to polysomnography with a random sample of adult patients of both genders complaining of snoring who were not receiving any form of treatment for sleep disorder. An anthroposcopic speech-language evaluation was performed and the results of the polysomnography examination were collected in order to respond to the objectives of the study. Results: There was a significant association between the severity of the sleep disorder and environmental variables, such as smoking and alcoholism; also with individual characteristics, such as race, body mass index, waist circumference and systemic arterial hypertension. From the point of view of the myofunctional characteristics, there was a positive relationship between the severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Hypopnea Syndrome with mental muscle contraction, Mallampati class, tongue dorsum elevation, tongue thickness, uvula characteristics, extension and mobility of the soft palate, and alteration in the respiratory pattern. Conclusion: This study made it possible to describe a trend of the existence of orofacial myofunctional alterations in individuals with Sleep Apnea and Obstructive Hypopnea Syndrome and also revealed that the greater the degree of impairment of orofacial structures, the greater the degree of disturbance is also revealed.