Development of sleep apnea screening tool focused on maxillofacial morphology.

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K11463
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: Neuropsychiatric Research Institute
• Principal Investigator: Kobayashi Mina 公益財団法人神経研究所, 研究部, 研究員 (40596037)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 伊藤 永喜 公益財団法人神経研究所, 研究部, 研究員 (90287681)
• Research Collaborator: Inoue Yuichi ; Tsuiki Satoru ; Nakayama Hideaki
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 睡眠時無呼吸症候群 / 睡眠呼吸障害 / 顎顔面形態

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Obesity and small jaw are a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). However, it is unclear whether the anthropometric cut-off value for screening OSAS could be adapted to Asian people who are less obese in comparison with Caucasians. The aim of this study was to formulate and validate the anthropometric and maxillofacial morphology indices for detecting moderate to severe Asian OSAS.
We reconfirmed that distance of submandibular region is important risk factors for moderate and severe OSAS in Japanese male and female population. Our screening score worked well in the detection of moderate OSAS on clinic base. This screening score is objective, non-invasive, and simple to measure.

Free Research Field

睡眠学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果は、OSAの歯科的病態に着目し、患者や担当医療従事者の主観に依存しない客観的なスクリーニング項目であり、小下顎によりアンバランスが生じやすい日本人OSAの人種的特徴を反映している。また、歯科医学的な根拠に基づく、簡便かつ実用的なOSAスクリーニング手法を提供することで、医療機関や健康診断のみならず、歯科医療機関におけるOSAスクリーニングと治療円滑化への道を拓きうる。OSAS発症予防にも貢献し、睡眠衛生や生活習慣に関する意識向上をはかる端緒ともなりうる。