Comparison of Static Mechanical Properties of the Passive Pharynx between Normal Children and Children with Sleep-disordered Breathing

摘要

Collapsibility of the active pharynx, where active contraction of the upper airway muscles in evident, was previously reported to be higher in children with obstructive sleep apnea(OSA) than in those with primary snoring during sleep. Contribution of neuromuscular and anatomic factors to the in- creased collapsibility, however, was not estimated. We therefore evaluated collapsibility of the pas- sive pharynx, in which upper airway muscle activities were eliminated. Our aim in the present study was to test the hypothesis that children with sleep-disordered breathing(SDB) have a structurally narrowed and a more collapsible pharynx compared with normal children.