Predictability of obstructive sleep apnea with a somesthetic screening score: Development and preliminary validation in a prospective study

Abstract Purpose This prospective study aimed to develop a predictive score for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk using participants' somesthetic perception of airflow in their oropharynx. The primary goal was to establish a two‐step clinical screening protocol: first, using participants' somesthetic information, then integrating additional clinical observations. Methods The assessment involved two phases. First, mechanical modifications of the oropharynx were induced by experimenters, in its volume and wall tension to create either “facilitating” or “aggravating” airflow conditions. Participants' somesthetic response accuracy was scored by item, yielding an intermediate score (IS) of 0–13. Second, anatomical and clinical observations were added to the IS to produce a total score (TS) ranging from 0 to 23. The study included 101 participants: 41 undergoing polysomnography (PSG), categorized by OSA severity, and 60 controls. Results A two‐part score was obtained. Obstructive sleep apnea suspicion thresholds were IS ≥ 7.5 and TS ≥ 10. Sensitivity was 73% for IS and 80% for TS; specificity was 77% for IS and 70% for TS ( p < 0.001). Conclusion This study established a clinical score for OSA suspicion using participants' oropharyngeal airflow perception, offering a complementary, low‐cost method for identifying at‐risk OSA patients in outpatient settings. Clinical Trial Registration Registered at clinicaltrials.gov, ID: NCT06092710, URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06092710 .