Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is currently one of the growing problems in the global healthcare system, due to the significant tendency of the population to develop this condition as an independent pathology of old age, as well as a significant spread of risk factors, which to a large extent associated with Western- lifestyle.
Evolutionarily, the process of nasal breathing is an important element of the normal functioning of a living organism, as it plays an important role in respiration, adaptive reactions, and the functioning of the human body’s immune system. The spectrum of nosologies and pathological conditions caused by disturbances in the normal functioning of the upper respiratory tract includes dozens of disturbances that have their manifestations both directly in the corresponding anatomical area and are masked by disturbances of other organs and systems. According to the literature, the prevalence of OSAS among people over 30 years old is 5–7%, of which 1–2% have severe manifestations of the pathology. In the category of the population over 60 years old, the frequency of the syndrome reaches more than 30% in men and about 20% in women, and in people over 65-70 years old, the frequency reaches up to 60%.
Pathologies of breathing during sleep are widespread and underestimated due to the complexity of the diagnostic capabilities of medical and preventive institutions of Ukraine, which is due to the multifactorial nature of the genesis among people of different ages. It has been established that the frequency of occurrence of such disorders depends on many factors, such as gender, age, ethnicity, body weight, use of alcohol or sedative and hypnotic drugs, smoking, some diseases (adenotonsillar hypertrophy, acromegaly, stroke, myopathy, parkinsonism, etc.), etc. One of the pathologies of the breathing process is snoring, which not only creates noticeable social discomfort in everyday life but is also a prerequisite and one of the leading symptoms of OSA, which is manifested by stopping breathing in sleep followed by loud snoring. Possible causes of snoring include deformation of the nasal septum, hypertrophy of the lower turbinates, retrognathia, etc.
OSAS, in turn, is caused by a complex interaction between genetic predisposition and anatomical, regulatory factors of the body. One of the visible reasons is the reduced tone of the muscles of the pharynx and soft palate, which in turn depends on the individual characteristics of a person, the action of external factors, neuromuscular diseases, and the physiological processes of aging.
It was found that obstruction of the upper respiratory tract plays a key role in the etiology of OSA. Among the factors that have the greatest influence on the volume and shape of the nasal cavity, the peculiarities of the reshaping of the nose and lower turbinates should be highlighted. With pronounced obstruction and an unfavorable course, this condition leads to a transition from nasal to oral breathing, which leads to a narrowing of the pharyngeal lumen, a backward displacement of the tongue, and an increase in the length of the soft palate. The data that indicate the connection of features of the anatomy of the tongue with the development of OSA were analyzed. Thus, the development of OSAS is facilitated by an increase in the volume or mass of the tongue and its more retrograde position.
