抄録
Objectives : The aim of this study was to determine the utility of respiratory resistance as a predictor of oral appliance （OA） treatment response in obstructive sleep apnea （OSA）.
Methods : Twenty-seven patients with OSA （mean respiratory event index （REI）: 17.5±6.5） were recruited. At baseline, the respiratory resistance （R20） was measured by impulse oscillometry （IOS） with a fitted nasal mask in the supine position, and cephalometric radiographs were obtained to analyze the pharyngeal airway space （SPAS: superior posterior airway space, MAS: middle airway space, IAS: inferior airway space）. The R20 and radiographs after the OA treatment were evaluated, and the changes from the baseline were analyzed. A sleep test with OA was carried out using a portable device. The subjects were divided into Responders and Non-responders based on an REI improvement ≥50％ from the baseline, and the R20 reduction rate between the two groups was compared.
Results : The subjects comprised 20 responders and 7 non-responders. The R20 reduction rate with OA was significantly greater in responders than in non-responders （14.4±7.9％ versus 2.4±9.8％, p＜0.05）. In responders, SPAS, MAS, and IAS were significantly widened and R20 was significantly decreased with OA （p＜0.05）. There was no significant difference in non-responders （p＞0.05）. A logistic multiple regression analysis showed that the R20 reduction rate was predictive for OA treatment responses （2％ incremental odds ratio （OR）, 24.5; 95％CI, 21.5-28.0; p＝0.018）.
Conclusion : This pilot study confirmed that respiratory resistance may have significant clinical utility in predicting OA treatment responses.
