Concha Nasalis Inferior Uzamasının Obstrüktif Uyku Apne Sendromu ile İlişkisi

Abstract

Amaç: Üst hava yolunun anatomik yapısı, obstrüktif uyku apne sendromunun (OUAS) patofizyolojisinde önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Önceki çalışmaların büyük bir bölümü farengeal ya da kraniyofasiyal faktörlere odaklanmış olup, inferior nazal konkaya ait ayrıntılı morfometrik veriler sınırlıdır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, OUAS tanılı hastalarda concha nasalis inferior’un morfolojik ve morfometrik özelliklerini değerlendirmek ve bu bulguların koanal uzanım ile ilişkisini incelemektir.

Materyal ve metod: Polisomnografi ile OUAS tanısı doğrulanan 82 hastaya (41 kadın, 41 erkek) ait kraniyal BT görüntüleri retrospektif olarak analiz edildi. Üç boyutlu multiplanar rekonstrüksiyon kullanılarak inferior nazal konkanın maksimum anteroposterior uzunluğu bilateral olarak ölçüldü ve posterior koanal uzanım varlığı kaydedildi. Tüm ölçümler taraf ve cinsiyete göre analiz edildi ve bulgular koanal uzanım varlığına göre istatistiksel olarak karşılaştırıldı.

Bulgular: Her iki tarafta da concha nasalis inferior uzunluğu açısından kadınlar ve erkekler arasında anlamlı bir fark saptanmadı. Benzer şekilde, koanal uzanım sıklığı da cinsiyetler arasında anlamlı farklılık göstermedi. Buna karşılık, hem kadınlarda hem erkeklerde ve her iki tarafta, koanaya uzanım gösteren olgularda concha nasalis inferior uzunluğunun, uzanım göstermeyenlere göre anlamlı derecede daha uzun olduğu bulundu (p<0,05). Yaş ile konka uzunluğu arasında anlamlı bir ilişki saptanmadı.

Sonuç: Bu çalışmanın bulguları, OUAS’lı hastalarda concha nasalis inferior uzunluğunun cinsiyet ve yaş ile ilişkili olmadığını, ancak posterior koanal uzanım ile yakından ilişkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Daha uzun concha nasalis inferior’un koanaya doğru uzanım gösterme olasılığının daha yüksek olduğu ve bunun posterior nazal hava yolunun daralmasına katkıda bulunabileceği düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

• Obstrüktif Uyku Apne Sendromu (OUAS)
• Concha Nasalis Inferior
• Bilgisayarlı tomografi

Inferior Nasal Concha Elongation Is Associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Upper airway anatomy plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Most previous studies have focused on pharyngeal or craniofacial factors, while detailed morphometric data regarding the inferior nasal concha remain scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphology and morphometry of the inferior nasal concha in patients with OSAS and to examine its relationship with posterior choanal extension.

Materials and Methods: Retrospective cranial CT images of 82 polysomnography-confirmed OSAS patients (41 females, 41 males) were analyzed. Using three-dimensional multiplanar reconstruction, the maximum anteroposterior length of the inferior nasal concha was measured bilaterally, and posterior choanal extension was recorded. All measurements were analyzed by side and sex and statistically compared according to choanal extension.

Results: There was no significant difference in inferior nasal concha length between males and females on either side. Similarly, the frequency of choanal extension did not differ significantly between sexes. However, in both males and females, on both sides, the inferior nasal concha was significantly longer in cases with choanal extension than in those without (p<0.05). No significant association was found between age and conchal length.

Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that, in patients with OSAS, inferior nasal concha length is not associated with sex or age but is closely related to posterior choanal extension. A longer inferior nasal concha appears more likely to project into the choana, which may contribute to posterior nasal airway narrowing. However, because this study did not include a non-OSAS control group, these findings should be interpreted as anatomical associations within an OSAS cohort rather than as OSAS-specific morphological features.

Keywords

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (Osas)
• Inferior Nasal Concha
• Computed tomography

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