ASSOCIATION BETWEEN OBSTRUCTIVE APNEA SYNDROME DURING SLEEP AND DAMAGES TO ANTERIOR LABYRINTH: OUR EXPERIENCE

The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is a chronic condition characterized by frequent episodes of collapse

of the upper airways during sleep. It can be considered a multisystem disease. Among the districts involved,

even the auditory system was seen to be concerned.

It was enrolled a population of 20 patients after polysomnographic diagnosis of OSAS (Apnea Hypopnea

Index > 10) and a control group of 28 healthy persons (Apnea Hypopnea Index < 5). Each patient has been

subjected to Pure Tone Audiometry, Tympanometry, study of Acoustic Reflex, Otoacoustic Emissions and

Auditory Brainstem Response. Moreover they were submitted to endoscopy of upper airway with Muller

Maneuver and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).

The values of ESS was 13.5 in OSAS group and 5.4 in control group. The tone audiometry is worse in all

frequencies analyzed in OSAS patients, but within the normal range for both groups analyzed by 250 to 1000

Hertz. Otoacoustic emissions show a reduced reproducibility and a lower signal / noise ratio in OSAS group

(P <0.01)