RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Didgeridoo may lower apnea hypopnea index through reducing parapharyngeal fat pads
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP p4954
VO 38
IS Suppl 55
A1 Alexander Turk
A1 Alice Zuercher
A1 Fredi Zahn
A1 Thomas Frauenfelder
A1 Milo Puhan
YR 2011
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4954.abstract
AB Background: Our aim was to assess changes in anatomical structures of the upper airways in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) undergoing didgeridoo training to understand the mechanisms by which this treatments exhibits its beneficial effects.Methods: We included patients over 18 years of age with newly diagnosed OSAS and an AHI between 15-45/hour. We excluded patients with central sleep apnea, need for CPAP therapy, planned weight reduction intervention, high alcohol inatke and adiposity. Patients received didgeridoo lessons and practiced for 4 months. To measure compliance a device attached inside the didgeridoo continuously monitored temperature and pressure. Before and after treatment patients underwent polysomnography and MRI imaging for soft-tissue volumetric measurements.Results: In 10 patients included so far (median age 52 years, BMI 27 kg/m2) the median AHI decreased from 31 to 19/hour and Epworth sleepiness score from 12 to 10. Figure 1 shows very strong associations between the extent of playing digeridoo and a decrease in AHI (r= -0.85) and in the volume of parapharyngeal fat pads (r= -0.90) but a moderate association only with decrease in daytime sleepiness (r= -0.34).A decrease in AHI was strongly associated with a decrease in the volume of parapharyngeal fat pads (r=0.70).Conclusion: The data strongly suggest that didgeridoo playing decreases the AHI by downsizing parapharyngeal fat pads.