Analysis of the Correlation Between Tongue Fat and Retroglossal Obstruction in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

IF 3.4 2区医学 Q2 CLINICAL NEUROLOGY

Nature and Science of Sleep Pub Date : 2026-07-10 eCollection Date: 2026-01-01 DOI:10.2147/NSS.S596746

Yibo Hao, Jie Qin, Zhe Wang, Yanru Duan, Xiangrong Cao, Zhiming Zhang, Dahai Wu

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the impact of tongue fat on glossoptosis and lingual hypertrophy and the relationship between tongue fat and retroglossal obstruction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methods: This study enrolled 97 patients with moderate-to-severe OSA. All patients underwent standard diagnostic polysomnography (PSG) and a second PSG with a nasopharyngeal tube inserted (NPT-PSG). The NPT stents open the nasal, nasopharyngeal, and retropalatal airways, so the residual apnea-hypopnea index (NPT-AHI) specifically quantifies retroglossal obstruction. Patients were classified based on NPT-PSG and upper airway CT into three groups: non-retroglossal obstruction (non-RGO), glossoptosis (GLO), and lingual hypertrophy (LH). Three-dimensional CT reconstructions were used to assess tongue anatomy, including volume, fat volume, and fat percentage. Group differences in baseline traits and tongue measurements were analyzed. We further examined the relationship between tongue fat and RGO, and identified factors influencing RGO in OSA.

Results: After adjusting for gender, age, and BMI, the LH group had larger tongue volume compared to the other two groups, whereas the GLO group had more tongue fat and a higher tongue fat percentage compared to the non-RGO group. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) for NPT-PSG (NPT-AHI) was positively correlated with tongue volume (r=0.349, P<0.001), tongue fat volume (r=0.368, P<0.001), and tongue fat percentage (r=0.281, P=0.006), and negatively correlated with LSaO₂ (r=-0.312, P<0.001). Multiple regression indicated tongue volume (β=0.264, P=0.005), tongue fat volume (β=0.271, P=0.002), and LSaO₂ (β=-0.285, P=0.006) were independent influencing factors of NPT-AHI.

Conclusion: Tongue fat volume is more strongly associated with glossoptosis, whereas overall tongue volume is more closely associated with lingual hypertrophy. Increased tongue volume, higher tongue fat content, and decreased LSaO₂ are associated with more severe retroglossal obstruction. Precise therapies targeting tongue fat may benefit OSA patients with RGO.

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阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停患者舌脂与舌后梗阻的相关性分析。

目的：探讨阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（OSA）患者舌脂肪对舌下垂、舌肥大的影响及舌脂肪与舌后梗阻的关系。方法：本研究纳入97例中重度OSA患者。所有患者均接受了标准诊断性多导睡眠图（PSG）和第二次插入鼻咽管的PSG （NPT-PSG）。NPT支架打开鼻腔、鼻咽部和腭后气道，因此残留呼吸暂停低通气指数（NPT- ahi）可明确量化舌后阻塞。根据NPT-PSG和上气道CT将患者分为三组：非舌后梗阻（non-RGO）、舌后下垂（GLO）和舌肥大（LH）。三维CT重建评估舌解剖，包括体积、脂肪体积和脂肪百分比。分析各组基线特征和舌部测量的差异。我们进一步研究了舌脂与RGO之间的关系，并确定了OSA中影响RGO的因素。结果：在调整性别、年龄和BMI后，LH组的舌体积比其他两组大，而GLO组的舌脂肪和舌脂肪百分比比非rgo组高。NPT-PSG的呼吸暂停低通气指数（AHI）与舌体积呈正相关(r=0.349, P2 (r=-0.312, P2 （β=-0.285， P=0.006）是NPT-AHI的独立影响因素。结论：舌脂肪体积与舌下垂密切相关，而舌总体积与舌肥大密切相关。舌体积增加、舌脂肪含量增加和LSaO2降低与更严重的舌后梗阻相关。针对舌脂肪的精确治疗可能使阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停患者受益。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Nature and Science of Sleep Neuroscience-Behavioral Neuroscience

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

5.90%

发文量

245

审稿时长

16 weeks

期刊介绍： Nature and Science of Sleep is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal covering all aspects of sleep science and sleep medicine, including the neurophysiology and functions of sleep, the genetics of sleep, sleep and society, biological rhythms, dreaming, sleep disorders and therapy, and strategies to optimize healthy sleep. Specific topics covered in the journal include: The functions of sleep in humans and other animals Physiological and neurophysiological changes with sleep The genetics of sleep and sleep differences The neurotransmitters, receptors and pathways involved in controlling both sleep and wakefulness Behavioral and pharmacological interventions aimed at improving sleep, and improving wakefulness Sleep changes with development and with age Sleep and reproduction (e.g., changes across the menstrual cycle, with pregnancy and menopause) The science and nature of dreams Sleep disorders Impact of sleep and sleep disorders on health, daytime function and quality of life Sleep problems secondary to clinical disorders Interaction of society with sleep (e.g., consequences of shift work, occupational health, public health) The microbiome and sleep Chronotherapy Impact of circadian rhythms on sleep, physiology, cognition and health Mechanisms controlling circadian rhythms, centrally and peripherally Impact of circadian rhythm disruptions (including night shift work, jet lag and social jet lag) on sleep, physiology, cognition and health Behavioral and pharmacological interventions aimed at reducing adverse effects of circadian-related sleep disruption Assessment of technologies and biomarkers for measuring sleep and/or circadian rhythms Epigenetic markers of sleep or circadian disruption.