Upper airway obstruction patterns among non-obese individuals with snoring and obstructive sleep apnea

Abstract Background Snoring is an inspiratory noise due to partial obstruction of the upper airways. It is commonly linked to a sleep problem known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The clinical criteria of OSA in non-obese patients are distinct and warrant more investigation, despite being well-studied in the obese population. Objective The aim of this study is to provide a diagnostic profile of snoring and OSA in non-obese patients using various assessment tools in order to identify upper airway obstruction patterns and potential risk factors in these patients to improve their management and prevent related comorbidities. Methodology An observational cross-sectional study of 30 non-obese (BMI < 29.9) snorers (18 males and 12 females) with a mean age of 38.13 ± 8.4 years. All patients underwent polysomnography and thorough clinical examination, including searching for possible risk factors/co-morbidity, Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS), Mallampati score, awake upper airway endoscopy combined with Muller maneuver, and drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE). Results OSA presented in 80% of our patients, the age range of 17–58 years, apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) mean 20.63 ± 17.8 event/h, and its severity was mild 7 (23.3%), moderate 6 (20%), and severe 11 (36.7%). Findings of oral and nasal examination showed no association with AHI. Also, sleep endoscopy findings regarding specific structures causing upper airway obstruction showed no significant association. A positive correlation was found between the extent of retropalatal airway collapse and AHI. A notable association was found between smoking and AHI as a risk factor for OSA in non-obese individuals. No significant relationship was found between ESS, concomitant diseases, and AHI. Conclusion OSA is common in non-obese patients and probably may be attributed to retropalatal/oropharyngeal airway collapse and associated with smoking as a risk factor. Further studies are warranted to reveal other pathophysiological aspects in this group of patients.