Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure the effect of weight loss on the upper respiratory tract in obese patients, researchers found that fat reduction is a major factor in reducing the severity of OSA.. The results were published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine..

" “Now that we know that tongue fat is a risk factor, and that sleep apnea begins to improve when tongue fat is reduced, we have established a unique therapeutic target that we have never had.”.

Twenty-two million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, a serious health condition in which breathing constantly stops and starts, causing patients to accidentally wake up throughout their sleep cycle.. The condition, which is usually accompanied by loud snoring, can increase the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. While obesity is a major risk factor for sleep apnea, there are other causes, such as having large tonsils or a sunken jaw.. Studies show that CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines improve sleep apnea in about 75 percent of patients, but for the remaining 25 percent—those who may have machine tolerability issues—alternative treatment options such as oral appliances or.

The new study included 67 people with mild to severe obstructive sleep apnea who had a body mass index greater than 30.0.. Through diet or weight loss surgery, patients on average lost nearly 10 percent of their body weight in an average of six months.. Overall, participants' sleep apnea scores improved by 31 percent after the weight loss intervention..

Study participants underwent MRI scans of both the pharynx and abdomen before and after the weight loss intervention.. Then, using statistical analysis, the research team quantified the change between overall weight loss and shrinkage of upper airway structures to determine which structures led to improvement in sleep apnea.. Researchers have found that a reduction in tongue fat is the main link between weight loss and improvement in sleep apnea..

The study also showed that weight loss led to shrinkage of the pterygoid process (the jaw muscle that controls chewing) and the lateral pharyngeal wall (muscles on the sides of the airways). Both of these changes also improved sleep apnea, but not to the same extent as reducing fat in the tongue..

Schwab's team is also investigating new interventions and other risk factors for sleep apnea, including whether some patients who are not obese but have "

In a recent related study, Schwab found that ethnicity may also play a role in sleep apnea severity.. His research team compared the anatomy of the upper airways in Chinese and Icelandic apnea patients and found that, compared to Icelandic patients of similar age, gender, and symptoms, the Chinese patients had a smaller airway and soft tissue but a larger soft palate with more. This means that Asian patients tend to be at greater risk of developing sleep apnea symptoms.. The bottom line is that, according to Schwab, all patients suffering from snoring or drowsiness should be screened for sleep apnea, regardless of whether they fall into the typical "

“Physicians, and perhaps even dentists, should ask questions about snoring and sleepiness in all patients, even those with a normal body mass index, since, according to our data, they may also be at risk of sleep apnea,” concluded.

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