• Richard J Schwab, Sarah E Leinwand, Cary B Bearn, Greg Maislin, Rao Ramya Bhat RB Center for Sleep & Circadian Neurobiology, Philadelphia, PA., Adithya Nagaraja, Stephen Wang, and Brendan T Keenan.
• Division of Sleep Medicine, Philadelphia, PA; Center for Sleep & Circadian Neurobiology, Philadelphia, PA. Electronic address: rschwab@mail.med.upenn.edu.
• Chest. 2017 Aug 1; 152 (2): 330-342.

BackgroundOSA is associated with changes in pharyngeal anatomy. The goal of this study was to objectively and reproducibly quantify pharyngeal anatomy by using digital morphometrics based on a laser ruler and to assess differences between subjects with OSA and control subjects and associations with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to use digital morphometrics to quantify intraoral risk factors for OSA.MethodsDigital photographs were obtained by using an intraoral laser ruler and digital camera in 318 control subjects (mean AHI, 4.2 events/hour) and 542 subjects with OSA (mean AHI, 39.2 events/hour).ResultsThe digital morphometric paradigm was validated and reproducible over time and camera distances. A larger modified Mallampati score and having a nonvisible airway were associated with a higher AHI, both unadjusted (P < .001) and controlling for age, sex, race, and BMI (P = .015 and P = .018, respectively). Measures of tongue size were larger in subjects with OSA vs control subjects in unadjusted models and controlling for age, sex, and race but nonsignificant controlling for BMI; similar results were observed with AHI severity. Multivariate regression suggests photography-based variables capture independent associations with OSA.ConclusionsMeasures of tongue size, airway visibility, and Mallampati scores were associated with increased OSA risk and severity. This study shows that digital morphometrics is an accurate, high-throughput, and noninvasive technique to identify anatomic OSA risk factors. Morphometrics may also provide a more reproducible and standardized measurement of the Mallampati score. Digital morphometrics represent an efficient and cost-effective method of examining intraoral crowding and tongue size when examining large populations, genetics, or screening for OSA.Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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