Sleep is important in terms of good general health and appropriate sleep duration has been linked to quality-of-life. Dysphonia may impair communication and social relationships, and is thus also closely related to quality-of-life. No large-scale, cross-sectional epidemiological study of a sample representative of the population of an entire country has yet assessed the possible existence of a relationship between sleep duration and dysphonia. We investigated a possible association between subjective voice problems and self-reported sleep duration in South Korean subjects using 2010–2012 data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Cross-sectional data on 17,806 adults (7,578 males and 10,228 females) over the age of 19 years who completed the KNHANES were analyzed. All participants reported voice problems (if present) and their daily average sleep duration using a self-reporting questionnaire. Sleep duration was classified into five categories as follows: ≤5, 6, 7, 8, and ≥9 h/day. The overall prevalence of dysphonia was 6.8%; 5.7% in males and 7.7% in females. The prevalence for dysphonia by sleep duration exhibited a U-shape, with the lowest point being at sleep duration of 7-8h. After adjustment for covariates (age, sex, smoking status, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, low income, high-level education), a sleep duration of ≤5 h (OR = 1.454; 95% CI, 1.153–1.832) and a sleep duration of ≥9 h (OR = 1.365; 95% CI, 1.017–1.832) were significantly associated with dysphonia, compared to a sleep duration of 7 h. In terms of gender, males who slept for ≥9 h were at a 2-fold (OR = 2.028; 95% CI, 1.22–3.35) higher odds for dysphonia (p<0.05) compared to those who slept for 7 h. A sleep duration ≤5 h was associated with a 1.6-fold (OR = 1.574; 95% CI, 1.203–2.247) higher odds of dysphonia ≥3 weeks in duration (long-term dysphonia). This is the first study to show that both short and long sleep duration were significantly associated with the development of dysphonia. The association between sleep duration and dysphonia was more marked in males than females. A sleep duration ≤5 h had a significant impact on the prevalence of long-term dysphonia.

Kim J, et al. Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2023 May;15(3):316-335. https://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2023.15.3.316

Objectives. The relationships among positional obstructive sleep apnea (POSA), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) remain unclear. We investigated these relationships with respect to the severity of OSA and explored the underlying mechanisms.Methods. We retrospectively reviewed 6,140 eligible participants who underwent full-night diagnostic polysomnography at four clinical centers over a 5-year period, utilizing event-synchronized analysis. We evaluated the periodic limb movement index (PLMI) and the periodic limb movement with arousal index (PLMAI). The impacts of POSA on the PLMI, PLMAI, and PLMS were analyzed in relation to the severity of OSA.Results. The mean PLMI, the mean PLMAI, and the prevalence of PLMS were significantly lower in participants with severe OSA compared to the mild and moderate OSA groups. The mean PLMI among those with mild OSA exceeded that of control participants. Furthermore, the mean PLMI (4.8±12.7 vs. 2.6±9.8 events/hr, P<0.001), the mean PLMAI (0.9±3.7 vs. 0.5±3.3 events/hr, P<0.001), and the prevalence of PLMS (11% vs. 5.3%, P<0.001) were higher in patients with POSA than in those with non-positional OSA. This PLMS finding was particularly pronounced among those with severe OSA (odds ratio [OR], 1.554; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.065–2.267) and was less evident in the mild (OR, 0.559; 95% CI, 0.303–1.030) and moderate (OR, 1.822; 95% CI, 0.995–3.339) groups.Conclusion. Patients with POSA, especially those with severe OSA, exhibit a comparatively high prevalence of PLMS. In cases involving prominent PLMS, the diagnosis and treatment of POSA and OSA should be considered.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of upper airway obstruction during sleep, resulting in apnea and hypopnea. While anatomical factors, such as increased upper airway collapsibility, significantly contribute to OSA, emerging evidence highlights the importance of non-anatomical mechanisms, including impaired pharyngeal muscle responsiveness, low arousal threshold, and elevated ventilatory loop gain. The interplay of these factors leads to respiratory instability, fragmented sleep, and systemic complications. Additional pathophysiological influences such as obesity, aging, sex differences, and central nervous system dysfunction exacerbate cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities. Advancements in diagnostic methods, including cephalometry and polysomnography, along with therapies such as continuous positive airway pressure, mandibular advancement devices, and hypoglossal nerve stimulation, underscore the necessity for personalized treatment approaches. Although surgical interventions targeting multi-level airway obstructions show potential for successful treatment, they remain limited by variability in long-term efficacy. A thorough understanding of the multifactorial mechanisms underlying OSA is crucial for improving diagnostic accuracy and tailoring patient-specific management strategies. This review summarizes recent findings, clarifying the complex pathophysiology of OSA and highlighting a multidimensional approach to optimize patient outcomes.