Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in male patients with surgically treated maxillary and zygomatic fractures

Background:Midface fractures can cause airway obstruction and breathing disturbances. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among patients with surgically treated maxillary and zygomatic fractures. Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 44 patients who had undergone surgical treatment of maxillary or zygomatic fractures between Jan. 1, 2003, and Dec. 31, 2013 at a single centre. All participants underwent polygraphy testing and were asked to complete the STOP (snoring, tiredness, observed apnea and high blood pressure) questionnaire, Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Results:There were 27 participants (61%) with maxillary fracture and 17 (39%) with zygomatic fracture. Obstructive sleep apnea was diagnosed in 24 (54%) of the 44 participants, of whom 15 (62%) had maxillary fractures and 9 (38%) had zygomatic fractures. Participants with OSA had a mean Apnea–Hypopnea Index (AHI) of 15.5 (standard deviation [SD] 9.7) events/h, compared to 2.4 (SD 1.5) events/h for those without OSA (p < 0.001). Of the 30 participants with nose obstruction, 18 (60%) had an AHI of 5 or greater. Conclusion:The results suggest that the prevalence of OSA was higher in surgical patients with midface fractures, independent of the type of fracture, than in the general population. The NOSE scale results showed significant correlation with the presence of OSA.