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A diagnosis begins with oral geometry
WASHINGTON-The next time a patient says “ah,” grab a ruler.
Stanford sleep researchers have found that those with narrow mouths and high palates are likely to have obstructive sleep apnea.
Measurements of palate height, amount of overbite, and width of upper and lower jaws, paired with height, weight, and neck circumference, add up to an accurate and inexpensive screening formula for obstructive apnea, says Dr. Clete Kushida. In a blinded assessment of the formula with 300 subjects, it identified all but six of 254 apnea patients, he told the American Sleep Disorder Association meeting here.
He says the formula can screen patients to reduce costs of overnight electronic monitoring-which can run as much as $1,200. So far his group is using it to help find those patients who need urgent studies. -Judy Ismach
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